Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially parted ways with his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, on Friday, May 22. This dramatic separation follows months of escalating tensions between the two former allies, who ascended to power together in April 2024.
The popular slogan, « Diomaye Moy Sonko » (meaning “Diomaye is Sonko” in Wolof), has definitively reached its end. The political partnership between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, which successfully propelled them to the highest offices in April 2024 amidst widespread public discontent against outgoing President Macky Sall, has now fractured spectacularly.
Ousmane Sonko himself was barred from contesting the presidential election due to a defamation conviction that resulted in the loss of his civil rights. Consequently, he threw his support behind Bassirou Diomaye Faye, likely with the expectation of maintaining significant influence and potentially leading the government.
Having been close allies for twelve years within their party, the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (Pastef), the duo had never publicly displayed any significant disagreements. However, merely two years into their administration, the relationship between the two prominent figures has visibly deteriorated, leading to this profound political shift in Senegal.
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