President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal has announced a new government that excludes members of the Pastef party, led by his former Prime Minister and long-time ally Ousmane Sonko. The decision comes after Sonko’s dismissal from the government and his subsequent election as President of the National Assembly.

The announcement of the new cabinet follows weeks of escalating tensions between President Faye and Sonko, culminating in a fundamental disagreement over the composition of the government. According to a statement from the Pastef party, negotiations between the two leaders revealed both areas of alignment and significant differences, particularly regarding the role of the ruling majority within the executive.

Sonko’s party confirmed in a statement that it would not participate in the new government, stating that “after thorough consultations within the party, new proposals were submitted to the President, but did not receive favorable consideration.” The statement concluded with a firm declaration: “As a result, PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not take part in the next government and will not be represented by any minister.”

The newly appointed Prime Minister, Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, unveiled a 30-member cabinet list that notably omits several prominent figures from the ruling party who were part of the previous administration.

This political rift coincides with Senegal’s ongoing struggle to address severe economic challenges. The country is grappling with the fallout from the 2024 revelation of significant debt underreporting by the previous administration, leading to the suspension of a $1.8 billion loan program by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Senegal’s debt has since ballooned to 132% of its GDP as of the end of 2024. The Finance Minister has indicated that discussions with the IMF will resume next week, with the goal of reaching a key agreement by June 30.