Recent Leadership Crisis
The fallout marks the most serious rupture within the ruling PASTEF movement since it came to power in 2024. Sonko, the party’s founder and most influential political figure, had increasingly criticized Faye’s leadership style and handling of Senegal’s worsening economic situation, particularly negotiations linked to the IMF and the country’s mounting debt burden.
The crisis was triggered by a severe debt crisis after audits uncovered previously hidden liabilities and underreported public debt, disagreements over IMF-backed reforms, including possible debt restructuring and fuel subsidy cuts, Internal power struggles within the ruling coalition over political appointments and party control and growing public frustration over delayed reforms and economic hardship.
Senegal’s parliamentary speaker, El Malick Ndiaye, resigned shortly after Sonko’s dismissal, potentially opening the way for Sonko to seek the powerful position of parliament speaker, where PASTEF still holds a majority.
