Senegal president sacks PM Sonko, dissolves government amid rising tensions

DAKAR - Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Friday sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, according to a statement read on national broadcaster RTS, in a move that risks deepening political tensions as the country grapples with heavy debt.

The decision follows months of mounting strains between the two allies-turned-rivals.

Sonko, a charismatic figure with a large youth following, had backed Faye in the 2024 election after a defamation conviction barred him from running.

The secretary general of the presidency said in the statement that the government had been dissolved.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian and Diadie BaEditing by Bate Felix)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 7:08 PM.