Senegal faces political uncertainty as PASTEF declines cabinet role

The newly formed government of Senegal, sworn in on June 1, has been announced without representation from the PASTEF party led by former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, marking a significant shift in the country’s political landscape.

This decision follows weeks of escalating tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Sonko, who was previously dismissed from his role as Prime Minister before being elected President of the National Assembly. The rift between the two leaders has deepened, raising concerns about the stability of the political alliance that brought them to power.

The announcement of the cabinet reshuffle, led by Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, a total of 30 ministers were sworn in, with several key figures from the ruling party notably absent. The absence of PASTEF members, who held positions in the previous administration, underscores the growing divide between the president and his former ally.

Ousmane Sonko addressed the exclusion of PASTEF in a statement on social media, revealing that while discussions with President Faye confirmed some shared objectives, critical disagreements remained. Specifically, the party raised concerns over the role and influence of the majority in the executive structure.

According to the statement, PASTEF presented revised proposals to the president after internal consultations, but these were not met with favorable responses. The party concluded by stating, “PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not participate in the next government and will not be represented by any ministers.”

This political fracture comes at a time when Senegal is grappling with severe economic challenges. A recent audit uncovered significant underreporting of national debt by the previous administration, leading the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to suspend a $1.8 billion loan program. As a result, the country’s debt has surged to 132% of its GDP, according to data from late 2024.

The government has scheduled renewed discussions with the IMF for next week, aiming to finalize key agreements by June 30. The outcome of these negotiations will be crucial in determining the country’s economic trajectory.