Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on March 28 decided to dismiss Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolve the entire government, according to a presidential aide's announcement on state media. The former government has been tasked with handling daily affairs until a replacement is named.
The decision follows months of rising tensions between President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko. Sonko, a charismatic figure popular among Senegal's youth, had backed Faye in the 2024 election after being barred from running himself due to a defamation conviction. However, the former allies have grown increasingly distant.
The rift comes as Senegal faces mounting economic pressure. The IMF froze a $1.8 billion loan program after discovering misreported debt from the previous administration, pushing Senegal's debt-to-GDP ratio to 132% by the end of 2024.
President Faye's move risks further delaying a new agreement with the IMF. Earlier the same day, before Sonko's dismissal, Finance Minister Cheikh Diba informed parliament that the government hoped to resume IMF negotiations the week of June 8 and reach an agreement on key points by June 30.
Both Faye and Sonko are former tax officials who were imprisoned ahead of the 2024 election. They were released 10 days before the reorganized vote, and Faye won with 54% of the ballot, subsequently appointing Sonko as prime minister.
It is unclear what Sonko's next steps will be after being removed. In March, he stated he was ready to withdraw his Pastef party from the government and return to the opposition if President Faye deviated from the party's agenda.
Pastef currently holds a majority in Senegal's parliament, which could complicate governance and the passage of reforms needed to secure IMF support. Last month, lawmakers voted through changes to electoral law that could pave the way for Sonko to run for president in 2029.
