Senegal President Sacks PM Sonko, Dissolves Government After Months of Friction

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government after months of worsening tensions between the two leaders, triggering fresh uncertainty in the West African nation as it battles a debt crisis and difficult negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

The decision was announced late Friday in a statement read on state television by presidential secretary-general Oumar Samba Ba , who confirmed that all ministers had been dismissed and the outgoing administration would remain in charge of routine affairs until a new government is formed.

The dramatic split marks the collapse of a political alliance that swept to power in Senegal’s 2024 elections under the banner of the ruling Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l'Éthique et la Fraternité (Pastef) party. Sonko, the party’s founder and one of Senegal’s most influential opposition figures, had backed Faye for president after being barred from contesting the election himself due to a defamation conviction upheld by the courts. Faye later appointed Sonko as prime minister after his electoral victory.

However, relations between the two leaders steadily deteriorated over economic policy, governance, and Senegal’s growing financial troubles. Their disagreements intensified after audits launched by the new administration uncovered billions of dollars in previously undisclosed public debt linked to the former government of ex-President Macky Sall . The revelations disrupted Senegal’s ties with the IMF and led to the suspension of a USD 1.8 billion IMF programme .

Sonko opposed IMF-backed reforms and resisted fuel price hikes despite rising subsidy costs. Finance Minister Cheikh Diba warned Senegal’s fuel subsidy bill could exceed projections by over USD 2 billion if oil prices continue rising.

Tensions between Faye and Sonko had escalated for months. In March, Sonko warned the ruling Pastef party could withdraw support if the government abandoned its reform agenda. Analysts say the dismissal ends the dual power structure created after the 2024 election.

Despite his removal, Sonko remains popular among young voters. As prime minister, he launched audits into oil, gas and mining contracts and pushed to renegotiate energy deals to lower prices and improve state finances.

The split has also renewed fears of instability in Senegal, where at least 16 people were killed during unrest linked to Sonko’s disqualification from the 2024 presidential race and election delays.

Despite his dismissal, Sonko appeared defiant in a brief message posted on X after the announcement. “Praise be to Allah. Tonight I will sleep with a light heart in the Keur Gorgui neighborhood ,” he wrote.