Sonko Returns as Senegal National Assembly President

Former Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko secured the position of President of the National Assembly, shortly after his removal by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye amid intensifying conflict between the two once-allied politicians.
President Faye dismissed Sonko and dissolved the cabinet last Friday, following prolonged internal strife within the governing PASTEF party. Sonko promptly sought to return to his parliamentary seat, which he had abandoned upon assuming the prime ministership in 2024.
What experts consider a carefully planned political strategy saw former National Assembly President Malick Ndiaye, a close Sonko associate, step down over the weekend, publicly stating personal motivations for his departure. Sonko was readmitted to parliament on Tuesday and subsequently elected Speaker by an overwhelming margin of 132 out of 133 votes. Opposition members abstained from the voting process.
PASTEF maintains a substantial majority in the Assembly with 130 of the 165 seats, enabling Sonko to preserve considerable political authority despite his expulsion from the government.
The rift between Faye and Sonko stems reportedly from divergent approaches to Senegal’s escalating debt challenges. Faye supposedly supports renewed discussions with the IMF and global creditors, whereas Sonko has pushed for domestically funded solutions and opposed IMF-led restructuring initiatives.
Prior to the 2024 presidential election, Sonko was considered the more appealing and dynamic leader, but he was prevented from running due to previous criminal offenses. PASTEF then backed Faye under the banner “Diomaye mooy Sonko” (“Diomaye is Sonko”). Both individuals were freed from prison shortly before the election and capitalized on widespread anti-establishment sentiment to defeat incumbent President Macky Sall.