In brief
In a stunning political reversal, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following a months-long feud. The move came hours after Sonko openly criticized Faye's debt crisis handling in parliament, intensifying tensions in a nation grappling with a frozen IMF bailout. The split upends the unusual political dynamic where Faye owed his presidency partly to Sonko's youth movement backing, despite their recent public clashes over leadership and governance. Student protests erupted in Dakar demanding Sonko's return, while no new PM has been named.
BREAKING: Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko – the very man who helped propel him to power – in a sudden move that has sent shockwaves through the nation. The decree, read out on national TV by a presidential aide, declared Sonko and his entire cabinet 'ended' from office, citing 'months-long tensions' as the reason.This abrupt rupture follows a fiery parliamentary session Tuesday where Sonko openly condemned Faye’s handling of Senegal’s worsening economic crisis. The IMF has frozen its $1.8bn bailout program due to unsustainable debt levels reaching 132% of GDP – a figure that has sparked widespread panic. Student protesters flooded Dakar’s streets late Tuesday, chanting 'Sonko! Sonko!' and demanding the PM’s reinstatement.The dramatic split is deeply personal. Faye’s presidency was built on Sonko’s massive youth support – the pair famously unseated the incumbent Macky Sall in 2024 despite both serving prison sentences until election day. Sonko’s campaign slogan 'Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye' cemented their alliance. But tensions boiled over months ago when Faye accused Sonko of 'excessive personalisation' within their ruling party, while Sonko branded the president a 'failure of leadership.'In a social media post immediately after the announcement, Sonko wrote simply: 'I will sleep with a light heart.' His dismissal follows intense pressure from political rivals and growing unease over Senegal’s economic meltdown. Crucially, no new prime minister has been named – leaving a power vacuum as the IMF crisis deepens.[MAP: Real-time protest tracking in Dakar | LIVE UPDATES: Breaking news alert - Send eyewitness accounts to @PulseWire]What do you think? Will Sonko return? Is Senegal heading for a full-blown government collapse? Share your thoughts below – this story is still unfolding!}
