Sacked PM Sonko Elected Senegal's National Assembly Speaker, Deepening Power Struggle With President Faye

Ousmane Sonko has been overwhelmingly elected Speaker of Senegal’s National Assembly, marking a major political comeback and intensifying an emerging power struggle with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Sonko, the leader of the opposition-turned-ruling PASTEF party, secured the influential parliamentary position after lawmakers convened in a plenary session on Tuesday morning. During the sitting, he was first reinstated as a member of parliament before being elected Speaker of the National Assembly.

His election follows the resignation of his close ally and predecessor El Malick Ndiaye, who stepped down on Sunday, effectively clearing the path for Sonko’s return to one of the most powerful legislative roles in the country.

The development is expected to deepen political friction between Sonko and President Faye, with analysts pointing to a growing institutional rivalry at the heart of Senegal’s governance. Reports indicate that President Faye had attempted to challenge Sonko’s reinstatement by moving swiftly to the Constitutional Court in an effort to block his return to parliament and leadership.

Tensions between the two leaders have reportedly escalated in recent months, culminating in President Faye’s decision last Friday to dismiss Sonko from his role as prime minister, a move that signaled a breakdown in their working relationship.

Under Senegalese constitutional provisions, President Faye is not permitted to dissolve parliament until November, two years after the last legislative elections. This limitation is expected to shape the unfolding political standoff as both leaders now operate within competing centres of power.

Sonko’s elevation to Speaker positions him at the centre of legislative authority, potentially reshaping the balance of power between the executive and parliament in Senegal’s evolving political landscape.