Alioune Tine, the founder of the Afrikajom Center think tank, has provided a detailed assessment of the current political climate in Sénégal. While he dismisses the notion of a total rupture between Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, he does point to a significant lack of synergy between the two figures.
A strategic misstep for Ousmane Sonko
In his view, the leader of Pastef made a tactical error by choosing to pursue the presidency of the National Assembly. Alioune Tine argues that given his aspirations for the presidency, Ousmane Sonko should have taken a step back after his time in the Prime Minister’s office. By focusing on the internal management of his political party and allowing the citizens of Sénégal to naturally elevate him toward the 2029 elections, he might have secured a stronger path forward.
The legacy of El Malick Ndiaye at the Assembly
The civil society expert also highlighted the performance of the former President of the National Assembly, El Malick Ndiaye, praising the effective work he carried out at the head of the legislative body. During a recent discussion, Alioune Tine emphasized that El Malick Ndiaye was a perfect fit for the role and successfully met the expectations of the public.
According to Tine, taking the helm of the parliamentary institution offers no real added value to Ousmane Sonko, as he already commands the loyalty of the deputies. He suggests that oversight and leadership of the Assembly could have been managed from a distance, which would have permitted El Malick Ndiaye to continue his ongoing mission at the heart of the institution.