Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially unveiled a new government on Monday. The cabinet includes several members and allies of Ousmane Sonko’s Pastef party, even though the political group had previously declared it would not participate in the administration.

This government appointment comes just over a week after President Faye, himself a former member of Pastef, dismissed Ousmane Sonko from his role as Prime Minister. Sonko has since assumed the position of President of the National Assembly.

The separation of the two prominent political figures, following months of underlying tensions, has introduced a period of political uncertainty for the nation, which is also grappling with a significant financial crisis.

Ousmane Sonko’s successor as Prime Minister, Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, presented a list of 30 ministers. Notably absent from this new cabinet are several senior figures from the ruling Pastef party who served in the previous government.

Minutes before the government list was made public, the leader of Pastef had announced via his social media channels that his party would not be joining the new administration.

Disagreement surfaces

“This morning, a lengthy discussion took place between the President of the Republic and myself, as President of the party. During this meeting, certain convergences were indeed confirmed, but also, and more importantly, points of disagreement emerged, particularly concerning the role and position of the majority within the executive framework,” the statement read.

The communiqué further detailed: “Following the feedback session with party officials, new proposals were presented to the President of the Republic, which did not receive a favorable response.” It concluded, “Consequently, PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not participate in the upcoming government and will not have any ministers represented therein.”

Despite Pastef’s official boycott, some less publicly known allies and members of Sonko’s party were named to the new government. These include Moussa Bala Fofana, appointed Minister of Urbanism, and Yankhoba Diémé, who will oversee the Armed Forces portfolio.

President Faye also retained several ministers from the previous administration, such as Cheikh Diba for Finance, Moustapha Mamba Guirassy for Education, and Cheikh Tidiane Dièye for Sanitation.

New Prime Minister Amadou Al Aminou Lô affirmed that the formation of the new government followed “customary consultations with all relevant individuals,” including Pastef leader Ousmane Sonko.

“The President of the Republic wishes to reiterate that, under all circumstances, a statesman must ensure that the nation and the Republic always transcend all partisan considerations,” Lô added during the live broadcast of the government list on the public channel, RTS.

A new political chapter

This development marks a significant shift after the political split between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, who were long-standing political companions. They triumphed in the March 2024 presidential election under the popular slogan “Sonko mooy Diomaye” (Sonko is Diomaye in Wolof).

However, noticeable differences between the two leaders began to surface several months ago, culminating in their inevitable separation following Sonko’s dismissal in late May. Sonko, the undisputed leader of their party and commanding a significant majority in the National Assembly, was subsequently elected President of the Parliament.

Ousmane Sonko, who was barred from running for president due to a defamation conviction, had designated his close associate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to take his place in the electoral race. Despite this, disagreements between them eventually emerged.

Tensions initially surfaced in July 2025 when Sonko, then the fiery Prime Minister, sharply criticized President Faye, pointing to a “problem of authority” within the country. In early May, the President, in turn, criticized his former Prime Minister’s “excessive personalization” of power within the ruling party.