Senegal’s political tensions have resurfaced after a brief period of calm between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former ally and ex-Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Speaking on Sunday evening during the inauguration of the headquarters of the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (Pastef) in the holy city of Touba, Ousmane Sonko launched a strong attack against the president’s political choices and threatened to use his parliamentary power to bring down the government.
The speaker of the National Assembly, whose party holds a large majority in Parliament, said he was ready to challenge the government “as many times as necessary”, reversing his previous commitment not to obstruct the work of the executive.
Dispute over reforms and natural resources
Ousmane Sonko accused President Faye and Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô of abandoning plans to renegotiate strategic contracts with multinational companies, particularly in the phosphate sector. According to Sonko, the current government is undoing measures introduced to protect Senegal’s economic sovereignty and accused the president of prioritizing political ambitions over national interests.
“Senegalese people must know that they are not the main concern of Diomaye Faye,” he said during his speech in Wolof, criticizing the country’s debt situation, the absence of a new programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and economic difficulties affecting several sectors. “We have the National Assembly, so we have the means to confront him,” Sonko added, positioning himself as the country’s leading opposition figure despite being part of the ruling camp.
Government rejects Sonko’s accusations
Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô responded to the criticism, warning against attempts to claim exclusive ownership of patriotism. “Trying to make patriotism the monopoly of one side is precisely betraying it,” he wrote on Facebook.
The latest confrontation comes days after Senegal’s Constitutional Council rejected a constitutional reform bill adopted by the National Assembly, a decision that highlighted the growing tensions between the executive and legislative branches.
The rivalry between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko has intensified in recent months. Sonko was removed from his position as prime minister on 22 May but quickly returned to the political forefront after being elected president of the National Assembly on 26 May, with Pastef holding a dominant majority in Parliament.
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