Senegal political shift: Pastef excluded from new cabinet

The Senegalese government reshuffle announced on June 1st notably excludes the Pastef party, led by former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. This decision follows weeks of escalating tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the party leadership.

Government reshuffle excludes major political force

The new cabinet, announced by President Faye, includes 30 ministers but notably omits key figures from the ruling Pastef party who were present in the previous government. This exclusion comes after President Faye dismissed Ousmane Sonko from his position as Prime Minister on May 20th, replacing him with Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô.

The political rupture between the two former allies has created significant uncertainty in Senegal’s governance landscape. The country continues to grapple with severe financial challenges, compounded by the discovery of significant debt underreporting by the previous administration in 2024.

Past disagreements lead to formal separation

Pastef’s decision not to participate in the new government was formalized through an official statement on the party’s social media channels. The communication highlighted fundamental disagreements between party leadership and the president regarding the executive’s structure and the role of the majority party within it.