A political upheaval of unprecedented scale is currently reshaping the landscape of Senegal and indeed the wider West African region. On Friday, May 22, 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially terminated the mandate of his Prime Minister and political mentor, Ousmane Sonko. This decisive action immediately dissolves the existing government, marking an abrupt conclusion to the executive partnership that had guided the nation since the transition of power in April 2024.
Decree n°2026-1128: The official declaration of separation
The ramifications of this decision reverberated throughout the evening following the issuance of a pivotal official document. The head of state, President Faye, signed presidential decree number 2026-1128 on May 22, 2026, bringing an immediate end to Ousmane Sonko’s tenure as head of government. To formalize this separation, Bassirou Diomaye Faye meticulously leveraged the powers vested in him by Senegal’s fundamental law, specifically citing articles 42, 43, 53, and 56 of the Constitution.
This legal framework designates the President of the Republic as the ultimate guardian of the Constitution and the guarantor of the regular functioning of state institutions, granting him the discretionary authority to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister. Article one of the decree unequivocally states: « The functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal, are hereby terminated. »
Under Article 2, the decree’s implementation is immediate. Through a constitutional ripple effect, the departure of the head of government automatically triggers the resignation of all ministers and secretaries of state. However, the decree specifies that members of the outgoing cabinet are tasked with managing current affairs until a new ministerial team is appointed.
« Diomaye, c’est Sonko »: The origin of a unique partnership
To fully grasp the magnitude of this political shake-up, it is crucial to recall the exceptionally close and distinct relationship that bound these two figures. Ousmane Sonko, the charismatic leader of the PASTEF party, had spearheaded a fierce opposition movement against the previous Macky Sall regime. Faced with relentless judicial pressure and his definitive disqualification from the presidential race by the Constitutional Council in early 2024, Sonko made a strategically brilliant move.
While sharing a prison cell following waves of political arrests, Ousmane Sonko designated his Secretary-General and most loyal lieutenant, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, as the substitute candidate for their systemic reform agenda.
Propelled by the iconic slogan « Diomaye, c’est Sonko » (Diomaye is Sonko), the substitute candidate became the focal point of popular fervor associated with the party leader. Released under an amnesty law just days before the election, the two men conducted a whirlwind campaign, leading Bassirou Diomaye Faye to a triumphant first-round victory on March 24, 2024.
Immediately upon his inauguration on April 2, 2024, the newly elected president appointed Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister via decree n°2024-921. For the first time in African political history, a political mentor became the institutional subordinate of his protégé, establishing an unprecedented dual-headed governance structure.
Seeds of discord: From fusion to friction
While the perception of perfect harmony was long maintained through public declarations, the practical realities of state power quickly exposed the limitations of this two-headed system. Over the months, two subtly divergent visions began to clash.
On one side, Ousmane Sonko retained his core identity as a sovereignist ideologue and orator, frequently delivering direct and assertive statements on international affairs, the review of mining and oil contracts, and a potential break with traditional partners. On the other, President Faye found himself directly confronted with the practicalities of macroeconomic management, regional diplomacy, and the absolute necessity of reassuring financial markets.
The first discernible cracks appeared during the cabinet readjustment of September 6, 2025, formalized by decree n°2025-430, which set the new government composition. This reshuffle, far from easing tensions, highlighted internal power struggles for control over key ministries between the Prime Minister’s early loyalists and technocrats promoted by the head of state.
Ultimately, this political cohabitation between a President of the Republic holding constitutional legitimacy and a head of government embodying historical popular legitimacy reignited the complex of the “kingmaker.” This created a highly unstable equilibrium where Ousmane Sonko’s constant shadow over presidential decisions eventually brought the question of real authority at the apex of the Republic to a head.
What future lies ahead for Senegal?
This dismissal plunges the nation into an entirely uncharted political configuration. By reclaiming full control of the state apparatus through this assertion of authority, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye definitively frees himself from the moral tutelage of his former leader. He now assumes the complete plenitude of his presidential office alone.
The major unknown now lies in Ousmane Sonko’s future stance. Will the PASTEF leader choose silence, a gentle separation, or a return to direct opposition, leveraging his still highly active electoral base? The composition of the next government, anticipated in the coming hours, will provide crucial insights into the new direction President Faye intends to steer his mandate, impacting African politics and West Africa news.
