Senegal President Faye Appoints New Cabinet as Pastef Boycotts Government
The newly appointed prime minister, a senior economist tasked with addressing the nation’s debt, leads a cabinet that excludes key figures from the ruling party, which nonetheless holds a parliamentary majority.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lo as prime minister and announced a new cabinet of 30 ministers, a move that has triggered an immediate boycott by the Pastef party. The announcement was made during a live television broadcast on Monday, less than two weeks after Faye dismissed former prime minister Ousmane Sonko and his entire cabinet due to disagreements over economic policy and leadership.
Lo, described as a senior economist, was selected to help steer Senegal out of its "crippling debt." During the broadcast, Lo read out the list of new ministers, which includes several members and allies of Pastef but notably excludes several senior figures from the previous government. The appointment marks a significant shift in the executive branch as Faye attempts to restructure the administration following a political crisis that began in May.
Despite Pastef holding a parliamentary majority with 130 of the 165 seats in Senegal’s legislature, Sonko confirmed that the party would not participate in the new government. The boycott follows a meeting between Sonko and Faye on Monday, which Sonko described as a "long conversation" where "points of disagreement" emerged regarding the future role of the party. Sonko stated on social media that Pastef would not be represented by any ministers in the new cabinet.
The rift between the two men has evolved from alliance to rivalry since Faye’s election. Sonko, who was barred from the presidential election due to a defamation conviction, had been appointed prime minister in April 2024. Tensions surfaced earlier this year when Sonko accused Faye of a "failure of leadership" and advocated for a more sovereign economic approach, contrasting with Faye’s openness to discussions with the International Monetary Fund on a new loan programme.
Sonko remains the undisputed leader of Pastef, the party he founded in 2014 and to which Faye also belongs. Following his dismissal, Sonko was elected speaker of parliament by allies in a vote boycotted by the opposition, further entrenching the political divide. While Sonko wished the new team success, the exclusion of his party from the executive branch highlights the unresolved friction between the president and the parliamentary majority.
