Senegal’s new cabinet takes shape amid Pastef’s non-participation

On Monday, June 1st, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially unveiled a new government. Notably absent from this cabinet are members of his own political party, Pastef, which is led by his long-time ally and former Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko. The government confirmed this development, citing a “disagreement” between the two prominent figures regarding the composition of the ministerial list.

This cabinet announcement follows a period of heightened political tension in Senegal, coming just 12 days after President Faye relieved Ousmane Sonko of his duties as Prime Minister. Sonko has since ascended to the role of President of the National Assembly. The separation of these two political partners, after months of underlying friction, has ushered in a phase of political uncertainty for the West African nation, which is simultaneously grappling with a significant financial crisis.

Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, who succeeded Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, presented a list of 30 ministers. This new lineup notably excludes several key figures from the ruling Pastef party who had served in the previous government.

Moments before the official announcement, Pastef’s leader, Ousmane Sonko, issued a statement via his social media channels confirming his party’s decision not to participate in the new government. The communiqué detailed a “lengthy discussion” held that morning between President Faye and Sonko, where “convergences were indeed affirmed, but also, and crucially, points of disagreement” emerged. These divergences primarily centered on the role and positioning of the majority party within the executive framework.

The statement further indicated that “following a feedback meeting with party bodies, new proposals were submitted to the President of the Republic, without a favorable response.” Consequently, the communiqué concluded: “PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not participate in the upcoming government and will not be represented by any minister.”

This political development unfolds as Senegal endeavors to address significant economic challenges, exacerbated by the discovery in 2024 of a substantial under-declaration of national debt by the previous administration. The International Monetary Fund (FMI) has consequently suspended its $1.8 billion loan program to Senegal, which saw the country’s debt escalate to 132% of its gross domestic product by the end of 2024. The Minister of Finance announced last month that Senegal intends to restart discussions with the FMI next week, with the aspiration of reaching an agreement on critical issues by June 30th.