Democratic coup rocks Senegal as lawmakers elect sacked PM Sonko as Speaker in challenge to President Faye

The stunning political comeback has intensified speculation of a deepening fracture at the top of Senegal’s leadership, raising fresh uncertainty over who truly controls power in one of West Africa’s most closely watched democracies.

Sonko secured 132 votes in the 165-seat parliament after legislators moved to reinstate him as a member of the National Assembly earlier in the day. No lawmaker voted against him, while one abstained.

Sonko, the dominant figure within the ruling Pastef party, received a prolonged standing ovation after the presiding member of the session, Ismael Diallo, announced the result. He was the sole candidate for the role.

The development has triggered fierce backlash from the opposition, with senior opposition leader Aissata Tall Sall describing the move as an “institutional coup.”

She argued that Sonko should have formally resigned as prime minister before reclaiming his parliamentary seat, accusing the ruling majority of forcing through a politically engineered transition.

Faye appointed Sonko prime minister in April 2024 after winning the presidency in an election widely seen as fuelled by Sonko’s popularity and political machinery.

Although barred from contesting the presidency himself because of a defamation conviction, Sonko remains the country’s most influential political figure and continues to command significant loyalty within the ruling coalition.