PASTEF confirms sole candidacy of Ousmane Sonko for presidency

The regulatory body of PASTEF-Les Patriotes, the High Authority for Party Regulation (HARP), has issued its final ruling on the provisional list of presidential candidates for the upcoming party elections. Following a thorough review of all submitted candidacy files before the May 20, 2026 deadline, the HARP, chaired by Mouhamadou Ngouda Mboup, validated only one application—that of incumbent leader Ousmane Sonko. All other submissions were rejected due to administrative and statutory deficiencies.

Rejected candidates cited for unpaid dues and incomplete documentation

In a detailed statement, the HARP outlined the specific grounds for rejecting the seven other applicants. For Alassane Sow and El Hadji Moussa Gueye, the authority cited an