The dynamic between Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has become a focal point for opposition scrutiny. Abdou Mbow, a key figure in the Takku Wallu parliamentary group and member of the Alliance pour la République (APR), has publicly framed the situation as a political tug-of-war accompanied by a deep institutional crisis. The analysis, rooted in the party of former President Macky Sall, reflects growing unease over contradictory signals emanating from the highest levels of government over recent weeks.

An executive duo under increasing strain

Elected together in March 2024 on a shared platform of systemic change, Faye and Sonko represented a dual leadership model championed by the Pastef party. Initially, the division of responsibilities between the presidency and the prime minister’s office was presented as seamless. However, cracks have emerged—particularly in reform pacing, the handling of judicial cases inherited from the previous administration, and the government’s public messaging.

Abdou Mbow interprets these developments not as mere administrative noise, but as evidence of a latent power struggle. He highlights a tension between two centers of authority: one centered on the prime minister, a dominant force within Pastef and the victorious list leader in the November 2024 legislative elections, and the other rooted in the president’s constitutional supremacy as sole executive power. This dynamic, he argues, is reshaping how governance is perceived.

Opposition seizes on leadership discord

The Alliance pour la République (APR), led by former President Macky Sall, is actively leveraging these tensions. Following its electoral setbacks in both the presidential and legislative races, the party is repositioning itself as a guardian of institutional integrity. The Takku Wallu group, the main opposition bloc in the National Assembly, has intensified its rhetoric, reframing internal disagreements within the government as a potential institutional paralysis.

By invoking the term « institutional crisis, » Abdou Mbow shifts the debate from partisan politics to a broader concern about state stability. This narrative strategy questions the clarity and predictability of public decision-making—especially critical as the government tackles major economic and structural reforms, including renegotiating mining and oil contracts, restoring fiscal health, and advancing the Agenda Sénégal 2050.

Dual leadership tested by economic realities

The economic backdrop amplifies the stakes of any discord at the top. Recent audits have exposed a public debt level exceeding earlier official estimates, prompting intense negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Managing this debt burden, coupled with potential revisions to the hydrocarbon fiscal framework, demands a unified and coherent policy stance from both the presidency and the prime minister’s office.

Recent policy decisions have revealed subtle divergences between the president’s inner circle and that of the prime minister. Sonko’s assertive tone toward economic actors, media outlets, and judicial bodies contrasts with Faye’s more measured, institutional approach. Observers note that this previously complementary division of roles is now being politicized by the opposition, who portray it as a source of instability rather than collaboration.

Despite these tensions, neither the presidency nor the prime minister’s office has acknowledged any open dispute. The government continues to project a facade of unity during cabinet meetings and high-profile public events. Abdou Mbow’s remarks are part of a broader narrative battle, with the APR seeking to shape public perception of a weakened executive partnership, while Pastef insists on the strength of coordinated leadership between two complementary figures.

The stakes for Dakar extend beyond political gossip. The executive duo’s ability to resolve these tensions will directly influence investor confidence and international donor relations—especially as Senegal navigates new financing agreements and prepares to structure revenue streams from the GTA and Sangomar oil fields.