The PASTEF-Les Patriotes party has declared its non-participation in the newly formed government under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, citing fundamental disagreements regarding the executive’s structure. This announcement comes even as several prominent ministers, widely perceived as close to Ousmane Sonko, have secured positions within the cabinet, sparking discussions about the true political alignment of the new administration in Senegal.
In a public statement issued on June 1, 2026, the PASTEF-Les Patriotes party, led by Ousmane Sonko, formally announced its decision to abstain from the new government assembled by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The party highlighted a divergence of views with the head of state concerning the organization of the executive branch, confirming that none of its official members would be represented in the cabinet.
Despite this official stance, the government, now under the leadership of Prime Minister Ahmadou Al-Aminou Lo, includes several individuals whose political profiles are frequently linked within Senegalese political discourse to either the broader PASTEF movement or to circles closely associated with its leader, Ousmane Sonko.
Ministers with perceived PASTEF affiliations in the new government
Among the recently appointed ministers, several are publicly recognized for their proximity to the political agenda championed by Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye during the 2024 presidential election. These include Yankhoba Diémé, who takes on the role of Minister of Armed Forces; Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, appointed Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation; Ibrahim Sy, now Minister of Health and Public Hygiene; Marie Angélique Mame Selbe Diouf, serving as Minister of Family and Solidarities; and Déthié Fall, who assumes the position of Minister of Infrastructures.
These individuals are generally regarded as either part of the presidential movement or as members of political alliances that actively supported the momentum leading to Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s successful election.
Conversely, other cabinet members, such as Cheikh Diba, Cheikh Niang, and Boubacar Camara, are largely seen as technocrats or politically independent figures, given that their professional backgrounds are not directly associated with a specific partisan affiliation within PASTEF.
