President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Sénégal officially named his new government on Monday. While some members and allies from Ousmane Sonko’s Pastef party are part of this administration, the announcement follows Sonko’s declaration that his political formation would not participate.

This governmental reshuffle comes just over a week after President Faye, himself a product of Pastef, removed Ousmane Sonko from his position as Prime Minister. Sonko has since ascended to the role of President of the National Assembly.

The political separation between the two long-standing allies, Faye and Sonko, marks a period of heightened political uncertainty for Sénégal, a nation already grappling with a significant financial crisis.

Succeeding Sonko as Prime Minister, Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô unveiled a list of 30 ministers on Monday. Notably absent from this new cabinet were several prominent figures from the ruling Pastef party who had served in the previous government.

Minutes before the new government list was made public, the Pastef leader had issued a statement via his social media channels, confirming his party’s decision not to join the new administration.

“Disagreement”

“A lengthy discussion took place this morning between the President of the Republic and myself, as party President. While areas of convergence were affirmed, significant points of disagreement also emerged, particularly regarding the role and position of the majority within the executive framework,” the statement detailed.

The communiqué further explained, “Following a debriefing meeting with party officials, new proposals were presented to the President of the Republic, which did not receive a favorable response.” It concluded, “Consequently, PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not participate in the forthcoming government and will not have any ministers represented therein.”

Despite Pastef’s official stance, the new government list includes less publicly known allies and members of the party. Among them are Moussa Bala Fofana, appointed Minister of Urbanism, and Yankhoba Diémé, who now holds the portfolio for the Armed Forces.

President Faye has also chosen to retain several key ministers from the previous administration. These include Cheikh Diba, who remains Minister of Finance, Moustapha Mamba Guirassy, continuing as Minister of Education, and Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, who retains the Sanitation portfolio.

Prime Minister Amadou Al Aminou Lô affirmed that the new government’s composition was finalized after “customary consultations with all relevant individuals,” including Pastef party leader Ousmane Sonko.

“The President of the Republic wishes to reiterate that, under all circumstances, a statesman must ensure that the nation and the Republic always take precedence over any partisan considerations,” Lô stated during the live broadcast of the government list on the public channel, RTS.

New political turning point

This development signifies a new turning point following the political divergence between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko. These long-time political companions successfully campaigned in the March 2024 presidential election under the popular slogan “Sonko mooy Diomaye” (Sonko is Diomaye in Wolof).

However, noticeable differences between the two leaders became apparent months ago, ultimately leading to their inevitable split after Ousmane Sonko’s dismissal in late May. Sonko, the undisputed leader of their party, which holds a significant majority in the National Assembly, has since been comfortably elected as its President.

Ousmane Sonko, who was barred from running for president due to a defamation conviction, had designated his close associate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, as his replacement in the electoral race. Despite this, divergences began to emerge between them.

Tensions initially surfaced in July 2025 when the then-Prime Minister Sonko sharply criticized President Faye, decrying a “problem of authority” within the country. In early May, President Faye, in turn, criticized his former Prime Minister’s “excessive personalization” within the ruling party.