DAKAR, Senegal- Senegal’s powerful political figure Ousmane Sonko has been overwhelmingly elected President of the National Assembly in a dramatic political comeback that is expected to deepen tensions with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and reshape the country’s power structure.
Sonko, leader of the ruling PASTEF party, secured the influential parliamentary position on Tuesday after lawmakers convened in a plenary sitting to reinstate him as a member of parliament before proceeding with the election of a new Speaker.
His election came just days after former National Assembly Speaker El Malick Ndiaye, a close ally of Sonko, resigned from the position, paving the way for the former prime minister’s takeover of parliament.
The development marks a major escalation in the simmering rivalry between Sonko and President Faye, once close political allies who jointly rode to power under the PASTEF movement, promising sweeping reforms, anti-corruption measures, and economic transformation.
President Faye on Friday dismissed Sonko as prime minister following months of growing political and institutional tensions between the two leaders.
Political observers say Sonko’s election to lead parliament now creates a powerful institutional counterweight to the presidency and could significantly complicate governance and reform implementation in Senegal.
Reports from Dakar indicate that President Faye unsuccessfully sought intervention from the Constitutional Court in a bid to stop Sonko’s return to parliament and prevent his election as Speaker.
Despite the deepening fallout, both men continue to command substantial support within PASTEF and Senegal’s youthful political base, raising concerns about a prolonged power struggle within the ruling establishment.
Under Senegalese law, President Faye cannot dissolve parliament until November 2026, two years after the last parliamentary elections, meaning Sonko is expected to retain significant institutional leverage over the government in the coming months.
Analysts warn that the political rivalry could slow legislative processes and complicate implementation of key economic reforms promised by the administration, particularly as Senegal faces mounting pressure over unemployment, inflation and public expectations for rapid change.
Sonko’s election also marks a remarkable political resurgence for the outspoken opposition figure who only a few years ago faced legal battles and political persecution under former President Macky Sall’s administration before eventually helping propel Faye to the presidency in 2024.
