
Ousmane Sonko, the former Prime Minister and leader of PASTEF, publicly addressed the circumstances of his dismissal from the Prime Minister's office. He stated that divergences between him and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye-Diakhar had existed for two years, noting that their current situation differed from their initial project goals. Sonko explained that he had chosen to remain in government to avoid a political rupture. Following his intervention at the National Assembly last Friday, President Faye invited him to the Presidential Palace for a meeting. During this meeting, President Faye reportedly told Sonko that continuing their collaboration would be difficult due to issues arising from Sonko's statements. Sonko responded that the decision was the President's to make. Sonko also mentioned that he refused to portray their discussion as a consensus-building effort. He claimed to have offered to resign from the Prime Minister's office multiple times to serve in the National Assembly if his presence hindered the executive's functioning, suggesting another Prime Minister from PASTEF could be appointed. He stated that President Faye declined this offer on each occasion, with Minister Alioune Sall allegedly witnessing some of these exchanges. Sonko further recounted that President Faye requested time for reflection before another meeting. Upon returning home, Sonko received a message from the President indicating that he would announce his decision. The official announcement
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Must ReadFormer President Macky Sall expressed gratitude to his supporters in Dakar following his return to Senegal. This message, shared on his social media, aligns with his efforts to secure support for his candidacy for the position of UN Secretary-General. After his audience with the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, former head of state Macky Sall thanked the many activists and sympathizers of the Alliance for the Republic APR who welcomed him upon his arrival at L茅opold-S茅dar-Senghor Airport in Dakar. He simply wrote "Thank you!!" on his social media, accompanying his message with several photos showing a large crowd mobilized for his return to Senegal. This trip marked his first visit to the country since leaving power in April 2024.
Must ReadPresident Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sought an opinion from the Constitutional Council regarding the legal feasibility of holding early legislative elections and local elections concurrently. This move comes as the potential dissolution of the National Assembly by the end of November 2026 appears increasingly likely. According to Article 87 of the Constitution, the head of state can dissolve the National Assembly after consulting the Prime Minister and the President of the Assembly, provided the dissolution does not occur within the first two years of the legislature. With deputies installed following the November 17, 2024 elections, this legal window would open from late November 2026. If the Constitutional Council approves the possibility of combined elections, Senegal could, for the first time, organize early legislative and local elections simultaneously. Territorial elections are currently scheduled before the expiration of local executive mandates in January 2027. Such a scenario would significantly alter the electoral calendar and political dynamics leading up to 2027.
Must ReadFormer President Macky Sall returned to the Presidential Palace for his first meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye since the transfer of power in April 2024. Images released on Friday showed a cordial handshake between the two leaders before their discussions in the presidential palace's lounges. Sall's visit to Dakar, his first since leaving office, is part of his diplomatic campaign for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations.