Ousmane Sonko dismissed as Prime Minister of Senegal
Updated 21 June 2026
On 22 May 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government after months of friction over economic policy.
On Friday 22 May 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government by decree n°2026-1128.[1] The decision, announced on state television, ended two years of an increasingly strained partnership between the two allies who had reached power together in 2024.[2]
Why it happened
Months of friction had hardened into open rupture over economic policy:[1]
- Fuel subsidies — Sonko rejected a request to raise fuel prices as the subsidy bill threatened to overshoot the 2026 budget.
- Debt and the IMF — he opposed any restructuring of Senegal’s debt (estimated near $13bn) that the IMF was seen to favour.
- Resource contracts — in March 2026 he declared a BP gas contract on the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project “unfair” and revoked some 71 mining licences.[1]
The split followed weeks of public tension, including Faye’s warning that PASTEF “risks collapsing” and his reminder that he holds the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister.[2]
What came next
Sonko did not leave the centre of power. Four days later he was elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and his PASTEF party declined to join the new government. See Faye vs Sonko: who really runs Senegal? and the full timeline.[3]
Frequently asked questions
- Why was Ousmane Sonko dismissed?
- After months of friction with President Faye over economic policy — fuel subsidies, IMF-linked debt strategy, and oil, gas and mining contracts. Sonko had opposed a fuel-price rise and any IMF-backed debt restructuring.
- Who replaced him?
- On 25 May 2026, President Faye named the economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô, a former BCEAO director, as the new Prime Minister.
Sources
- Faye dismisses Sonko government as Senegal faces political rift — Bloomberg
- Senegal's President Faye sacks PM Sonko and dissolves government — Al Jazeera
- Senegal's president fires prime minister after months of tensions — The Washington Post