Ousmane Sonko has made a powerful return to Senegal’s parliamentary scene, securing the presidency of the National Assembly. This election, backed by every member of his Pastef party, occurs despite notable differences with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who also hails from the same political movement. This development is a key piece of Sahel Express news, highlighting significant shifts in West Africa Sahel politics.

The new head of the National Assembly received extensive applause from his party’s deputies, who command an overwhelming majority of 130 out of 165 seats in the Parliament. Sonko steps into this pivotal role following the resignation of El Malick Ndiaye on Sunday.

Outside Ousmane Sonko’s residence in Cité Keur Gorgui, a Pastef-Les Patriotes activist passionately shouted, “Sonkoooo!” expressing fervent support for his leader.

Nourdine Diallo conveyed his deep disappointment over this political rift, having strongly believed in the Diomaye-Sonko partnership, a slogan he championed throughout the electoral campaign across Senegal.

“It truly hurt us to learn that the President had dismissed the Prime Minister. We campaigned on the premise, ‘Diomaye is Sonko – Sonko is Diomaye.’ This slogan was genuinely felt, not merely words. We experienced it, and we assured the Senegalese people that Diomaye and Sonko were brothers, bound by fraternal, party, and institutional ties.”

Emerging Institutional Power Struggle

The dismissal of Ousmane Sonko from his Prime Minister position occurred shortly after his appearance before the National Assembly for the customary government question session. During this session, Ousmane Sonko openly challenged certain decisions made by President Diomaye Faye.

What is now unfolding is an institutional standoff. A National Assembly session was scheduled for Tuesday (May 26, 2026) to address Ousmane Sonko’s reintegration as a deputy, a mandate he had suspended to serve as Prime Minister.

The Assembly session also considered a second crucial item: the election of a new president to succeed the resigning El Hadj Malick Ndiaye. A loyal supporter of Sonko, El Hadj Malick Ndiaye, stepped down on Sunday (May 24, 2026), shortly after Sonko’s dismissal. With strong prospects, Ousmane Sonko was poised to assume the Assembly’s speakership, thus becoming the second most powerful figure in the state, a development closely watched in Sahel politics today.

This situation is expected to initiate a direct confrontation between the two former allies, according to political analyst Malao Kanté.

“Ousmane Sonko can be seen as the new face of the opposition. However, this opposition now controls the parliamentary majority, which carries inherent risks. Firstly, there’s the risk of a no-confidence motion for the next Prime Minister. What is clear is that this situation could plunge the country into a complicated state, potentially hindering the effective functioning of the government.”

Opposition Challenges Reintegration Process

In light of these events, Adama Fall, a political leader within Pastef-Les Patriotes, expressed his hope that national interests would ultimately prevail over the personal dynamics between Diomaye and Sonko.

“As Africans, this is customary in our history. We have witnessed Blaise Compaoré and Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba, and even in Senegal, the dynamic between Mamadou Dia and Senghor. Today, we are reliving history, though the key difference is that this is not the same generation as Mamadou Dia’s. We are a conscious generation, and history will not repeat itself in the negative sense; it will repeat itself in a positive direction.” This perspective is crucial for understanding current Sahel breaking news.

A shockwave has reverberated through Pastef, leading several high-ranking officials and administrative leaders close to Ousmane Sonko to resign from their posts in a show of solidarity.

This potential reintegration of Ousmane Sonko into parliament, where his party holds a substantial majority, followed the resignation of parliamentary president El Hadji Malick Ndiaye on Sunday. The opposition parliamentary group, Takuu Walu, convened a press conference on Monday (May 25, 2026) in response to this resignation. Aïssata Tall Sall and her colleagues firmly rejected Ndiaye’s letter of resignation, deeming it invalid. The president of the opposition parliamentary group asserted that Ndiaye had violated the National Assembly’s internal rules.

Furthermore, Aïssata Tall Sall urged Bassirou Diomaye Faye to refer Ousmane Sonko’s reintegration to the Constitutional Council, labeling the move a “constitutional coup d’état.” She warned that if Bassirou Diomaye Faye failed to act, Ousmane Sonko would eventually challenge his presidential seat.

In a swift move, Bassirou Diomaye Faye appointed a new Prime Minister overnight to replace Ousmane Sonko. The position went to Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, a seasoned banker and former official of the BCEAO, who previously served as Minister of State to the Presidency. The new Prime Minister emphasized that Senegal is at a critical juncture and called for national unity and mobilization, a significant event in current West Africa Sahel politics.