{"id":59484,"date":"2026-05-23T06:20:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T10:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/senegals-president-sacks-prime-minister-sonko-after-months-of-tensions\/23\/05\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T06:20:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T10:20:34","slug":"senegals-president-sacks-prime-minister-sonko-after-months-of-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/senegals-president-sacks-prime-minister-sonko-after-months-of-tensions\/23\/05\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Senegal&#8217;s president sacks prime minister Sonko after months of tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the nation&#8217;s government after months of tensions between the two men.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A shock decree, read out on TV by a presidential aide, said Faye had &#8220;ended the duties of Ousmane Sonko&#8230; and consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Sonko, a popular figure among Senegal&#8217;s youth, said on social media that he would &#8220;sleep with a light heart&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The split comes as the country faces mounting economic pressure, with its public debt having reached the equivalent of 132% of its GDP, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Sonko&#8217;s dismissal followed a parliamentary session on Tuesday during which the prime minister openly criticised Faye.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Faye was in the unusual situation of owing his position, in large part, to his prime minister&#8217;s popularity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-africa-67889561?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Sonko would almost certainly have taken the top job had he not been barred from running in 2024's elections due to a defamation conviction;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Sonko would almost certainly have taken the top job had he not been barred from running in 2024'&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Sonko would almost certainly have taken the top job had he not been barred from running in 2024&#8217;s elections due to a defamation conviction<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">However, Sonko backed Faye&#8217;s bid for presidency, using the slogan &#8220;Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The pair went on to unseat then-President Macky Sall &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-africa-68562465?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:an extraordinary victory given they were both in prison until 10 days before the election;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;an extraordinary victory given they were both in prison until 10 days before the election&quot;}\" class=\"link \">an extraordinary victory given they were both in prison until 10 days before the election<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Late on Tuesday night, several hundred students demonstrated on the streets of the capital city, Dakar, declaring their support for Sonko.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">No details have been provided on the appointment of a new prime minister.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tensions between Sonko and Faye have been on display for months.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Faye had reportedly criticised Sonko&#8217;s &#8220;excessive personalisation&#8221; within the ruling party Pastef, while Sonko accused the president of a &#8220;failure of leadership&#8221; for not defending him against his critics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Amid this feud, Senegal&#8217;s leaders have been grappling with the colossal amount of debt they inherited from the previous government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The IMF has frozen its $1.8bn (\u00a31.3bn) lending programme with Senegal as a result.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 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