Senegal’s president dismisses prime minister, dissolves government

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday and dissolved the government, according to an announcement on state television.

“Alhamdoulillah (All praise is due to God). Tonight, I will sleep with a light heart in the city of Keur Gorgui,” Sonko wrote on his official platforms after the announcement.

No official reason was provided for the dismissal.

The decision comes after months of escalating tensions between Faye and Sonko, once close political allies within PASTEF (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity), the ruling party that came to power in 2024. The relationship reportedly deteriorated amid disputes about party control, governance and economic policy.

Faye ultimately exercised his constitutional authority to remove Sonko, citing the need to preserve national stability, according to available information.

Faye's decision dissolves the government, dismissing all ministers, according to a statement read by Oumar Samba Ba, secretary general of Faye's office. "The members of the outgoing government ⁠are responsible for handling current affairs," said Ba. The president will appoint a new prime minister and government within the coming days.

Sonko was appointed prime minister April 2, 2024, hours after Faye’s inauguration as president. Once seen as a mentor-protégé political duo, the two leaders eventually drifted apart as rivalries within the ruling movement deepened.