Sénégal faces political tensions between president and prime minister

In the heart of Dakar, the collaborative dynamic between Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, once celebrated as a model of shared governance, now faces intense scrutiny. The opposition, spearheaded by Abdou Mbow—a prominent figure in the Takku Wallu parliamentary group and the Alliance pour la République (APR)—has publicly labeled the current situation a “political tug-of-war” compounded by a “systemic institutional crisis.” This assessment, delivered by a key ally of former President Macky Sall, aims to dissect the emerging contradictions within Senegal’s highest echelons of power.

Clashing visions at the helm of the nation

Elected side by side under a unified reform agenda in March 2024, Faye and Sonko represented a dyarchy—a dual leadership model championed by the Pastef party. Initially touted as a seamless division of responsibilities between the presidency and the prime minister’s office, recent weeks have exposed growing rifts. These fissures span the pace of reforms, the handling of judicial cases inherited from the previous administration, and the government’s communication strategy.

Abdou Mbow argues that these inconsistencies are no longer mere background noise. Instead, they signal a quiet power struggle between two competing centers of authority, each vying to dictate the national agenda. The crux of the issue lies in the constitutional ambiguity: while the President holds sole executive authority, the Prime Minister—undisputed leader of Pastef and architect of the party’s electoral triumph in the November 2024 legislative elections—wields significant political influence.

Opposition exploits cracks in the executive

The APR, once the dominant force under former President Macky Sall, now finds itself in the opposition trenches. Following its electoral setback in both the presidential and legislative races, the party is deploying a strategy to reposition itself as the guardian of institutional integrity. Through the Takku Wallu group, the primary opposition bloc in the National Assembly, it is amplifying its rhetoric to frame internal tensions as a systemic threat to governance.

By invoking the term “institutional crisis,” Abdou Mbow shifts the debate from partisan politics to national stability. This narrative tactic questions the coherence of public decision-making, particularly as critical projects—including renegotiations of mining and petroleum contracts, fiscal consolidation, and the implementation of Agenda Sénégal 2050—demand unwavering alignment between the presidency and the prime minister’s office.

Dual leadership under pressure from economic realities

The stakes are even higher given Senegal’s economic landscape. Recent audits have uncovered a public debt exceeding prior official estimates, prompting tense negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Managing this fiscal burden—coupled with potential revisions to hydrocarbon fiscal frameworks—requires a unified, unambiguous roadmap. Yet, conflicting signals have emerged from the president’s and prime minister’s circles.

Ousmane Sonko’s assertive rhetoric toward economic actors, media outlets, and judicial figures stands in contrast to Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s more measured institutional approach. Observers note that this implicit division of roles, once celebrated as complementary, has now become a political liability for the opposition to exploit. While neither the presidency nor the prime minister’s office has acknowledged an open dispute, the APR is waging a battle of perception, aiming to cement the narrative of a weakened executive duo in the public eye.

The consequences of these tensions extend beyond political gossip. The ability of Senegal’s leadership to present a united front will directly impact investor confidence and international partners, especially as Dakar navigates critical financing frameworks and finalizes revenue structures for the GTA and Sangomar oil fields.