Senegal lawmakers hand Ousmane Sonko powerful parliament role days after presidential ouster

On May 26, 2026

Ousmane Sonko has returned to the center of Senegal’s political power after being elected speaker of parliament just days after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye removed him as prime minister.

Sonko, according to an AP report, secured the influential parliamentary position on Tuesday after his removal from office last week alongside the rest of the cabinet. The shake-up came after months of growing strain between the president and the man widely seen as his closest political ally during their rise to power.

The fallout from Sonko’s dismissal also forced the resignation of the previous parliament speaker. On Monday, Faye moved quickly to appoint a new prime minister and is expected to unveil a fresh cabinet soon.

When Faye and Sonko swept to victory in the March 2024 presidential election under the banner of the Pastef party, they promised sweeping reforms focused on anti-corruption measures, employment opportunities for young people and stronger national control over Senegal’s natural resources.

That alliance, however, has steadily weakened in recent months as disagreements emerged over major state policies, including discussions surrounding a possible loan arrangement with the International Monetary Fund.

Despite being pushed out of government, Sonko’s new role now gives him significant influence inside parliament. As speaker, he can determine which bills are debated, oversee scrutiny of government policies and table legislation himself, creating the possibility of direct confrontation with the administration.

Babacar Ndiaye, a political analyst with the Senegal-based Wathi think tank, said those powers could place Sonko on a collision course with the president he once served under.

Sonko, for his part, insisted he would not turn parliament into a battleground for personal revenge against Faye. Still, he vowed to rigorously monitor the government and fully exercise the constitutional authority attached to his new office.

Both men remain central figures within Pastef, which dominates the National Assembly with 130 of the chamber’s 165 seats. Sonko continues to lead the party, a position that could further complicate Faye’s authority within the ruling movement.

The political uncertainty comes at a difficult economic moment for Senegal, where citizens are already dealing with rising living costs and mounting debt pressures. The country currently holds one of Africa’s highest debt-to-GDP ratios after a state audit last year uncovered an additional $13 billion in liabilities linked to the previous administration.

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