Senegal: Power struggle between President Faye and his PM

Senegal is in the midst of a political crisis, with tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his PM Ousmane Sonko threatening the ruling coalition’s stability, reports Africa News plus agencies on November 12th.

Hostilities reached a new high when President Faye announced the dismissal of a Sonko ally, Aissatou Mbodj, as head of the “Diomaye President” coalition that brought him to power in 2024, and replacing her with one of his own key aides, Aminata Touré.

Prime Minister Sonko immediately responded by calling for a meeting with their party, PASTEF (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity), which then issued a statement noting that Faye “does not have the power” to make such a change, as Mbodj had been appointed by the party.

Sonko is the leader of the very influential PASTEF party, which he founded in 2014, and he was the preferred candidate to represent his party during the 2024 presidential elections. However, due to Sonko having received a jail sentence for defamation against a previous minister, the PASTEF chose Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Sonko’s protégé, as their official candidate.

He ultimately won the elections with an ambitious program focusing on reform and democracy, beating Macky Sall, and he immediately appointed Sonko as his Prime Minister in April 2024. Senegalese newspaper Le Quotidien observes that this change of power dynamics between the two men has created fertile grounds for conflict and has re-activated rivalries, with Sonko openly criticizing the President on several occasions.

This new crisis between the two men raises questions about the long-term viability of the Faye-Sonko coalition, in a difficult context for Senegal. The new leadership has been trying to address deeply rooted corruption issues, and has redefined its relations with former colonizer France, closing down French military bases.

Nevertheless, Faye has struggled to address the country’s large debt bill. A recent article by Reuters pointed out the disagreement between the Senegalese government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is pushing for debt restructuring. With major economical issues to solve, Faye and Sonko will need to stabilize their leadership and work together effectively.

Africa News, Le Quotidien, Reuters, Maghrebi.org