President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal on Friday removed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko from his position and dissolved the entire government. This dramatic move follows months of simmering political tensions, further exacerbating the ongoing crisis within the West African nation, which is grappling with significant national debt.

The surprising announcement came via state television, where presidential advisor Oumar Samba Ba read a decree stating that President Faye “has terminated the functions of Ousmane Sonko… and, consequently, those of the ministers and secretaries of state who were members of the government.”

Senegal now finds itself in a peculiar political landscape, as President Faye largely owes his ascent to power to Sonko. The charismatic former prime minister was widely expected to run for the presidency himself but was ultimately disqualified from the race due to a defamation conviction.

Over recent months, the relationship between President Faye and his former mentor, Sonko, had visibly deteriorated, leading to growing speculation about their political alignment.

Their political party, Pastef, achieved a decisive victory in the first round of the March 2024 elections. The party campaigned on a platform promising profound political change, vowing to tackle rampant corruption and address perceived mismanagement of public affairs within the West African nation.

Despite Sonko’s considerable popularity, it is President Faye who constitutionally holds all executive power, allowing him to dismiss his head of government through a simple decree.

Sonko had galvanized passionate support among Senegal’s disillusioned youth in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. His strong panafricanist rhetoric and firm stance against France, the former colonial power, resonated deeply with many citizens.

In an impassioned address to Pastef party loyalists in early July, Sonko had openly criticized President Faye, accusing him of a “lack of leadership” for what he perceived as insufficient support against his numerous political adversaries.