Senegal's President Fires PM Sonko, Dissolves Government
The dismissal deepens a power struggle in PASTEF and could delay talks with the International Monetary Fund, which froze a $1.8 billion lending program.
- On Friday, Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye terminated Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, dissolving the government and dismissing all ministers. Secretary general Oumar Samba Ba announced the decision on state media.
- The dismissal follows months of mounting friction between the former allies, who rode to power together after defeating the previous ruling party. Sonko backed Faye in the 2024 election after being barred from running himself.
- Sonko pursued an aggressive anti-establishment agenda, revoking 71 mining licenses and auditing resource deals. He opposed restructuring the $13 billion debt, clashing with the International Monetary Fund, which froze its $1.8 billion lending program.
- Following the announcement, Sonko wrote on social media, "Tonight I will sleep with a light heart in the Keur Gorgui neighbourhood," a reference to his private residence. The outgoing government remains responsible for current affairs.
- Senegal now faces significant uncertainty as debt levels reach 132% of economic output amid a broader debt crisis. The political split risks reigniting unrest in the West African nation as it navigates mounting economic pressures.
110 Articles
110 Articles
President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko have been making politics together for more than a decade: now the former has fired the latter
Senegal’s President Faye sacks PM Sonko, dissolves government amid IMF debt crisis, political split
The political rupture comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Senegal’s economy after the IMF froze a $1.8bn lending programme following the discovery of previously misreported public debt figures
For months, a power struggle had been brewing between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. With Sonko’s resignation, the rift is a fact, and amidst a financial crisis, a political crisis now also looms for Senegal.
Senegal’s president fires prime minister, dissolves government
The NewsSenegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye fired his prime minister and dissolved the government, a move that will likely determine how the country manages its debt crisis but could prompt public anger.Faye’s decision to dismiss Ousmane Sonko, announced late on Friday, follows months of tension between the two men. The pair have disagreed over the handling of public debt that the International Monetary Fund estimates reached 132% of GDP at …
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