The Senegalese presidency announced late Friday—via a televised address delivered by its secretary-general, Oumar Samba Ba—that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had terminated the mandates of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the entire cabinet. The decree further stipulated that outgoing ministers would remain in place solely to handle “current administrative matters.”

From political allies to adversaries

This decisive move signals the collapse of a once-unbreakable partnership. Back in 2024, Ousmane Sonko—initially barred from contesting the presidential election due to a prior judicial ruling—chose Bassirou Diomaye Faye as his replacement candidate. Sonko’s fiery panafricanist rhetoric and strong appeal among Senegal’s youth played a pivotal role in securing victory for the new administration.

Yet, over recent months, the relationship between the two leaders had visibly deteriorated, culminating in this abrupt rupture.

Sonko’s immediate response

Within minutes of the announcement, Ousmane Sonko took to Facebook to declare, “Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep with a light heart.”

Soon after, social media footage captured jubilant supporters gathering outside his home in Dakar, chanting his name in celebration.

The dismissal sets the stage for a period of profound political uncertainty in Senegal. Meanwhile, Sonko’s party continues to command a dominant majority in the National Assembly following the November 2024 legislative elections.