In a dramatic turn of events during Tuesday’s press briefing, Ousmane Sonko, leader of the Patriotic Senegalese for Ethics, Work, and Fraternity (PASTEF), exposed the behind-the-scenes negotiations that shaped Senegal’s latest government reshuffle. The revelation underscores the escalating tensions between the political party and the presidential administration, rendering cohabitation entirely unsustainable.
Sonko disclosed that during discussions with Bassirou Diomaye Faye, he observed a deliberate shift away from PASTEF’s core agenda toward alliances with other factions. This divergence was met with immediate resistance from Sonko, who reminded the President that governance is the prerogative of the majority—and that majority, he insisted, must be PASTEF. The two leaders explored critical policy areas such as public debt, cost of living, contract renegotiations, justice reform, and accountability, yet failed to reach common ground on any of them.
Justice reform emerged as a particularly contentious issue, with Sonko declaring outright, “We have no agreement on justice,” signaling a deep and unresolved rift. When President Bassirou Diomaye Faye proposed a 30-member cabinet, Sonko set a non-negotiable condition: PASTEF must hold the majority. That condition was ignored. “At this rate, we have no influence over how decisions are made,” Sonko stated, explaining why PASTEF ultimately declined to participate in the Al Amine Lô-led government.
