Tensions between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko sharpened after a pointed warning that their ruling party risks internal collapse.
Faye, speaking in a televised interview late Saturday, stressed that the Pastef movement must rise above individual ambitions to survive mounting internal strain.
His remarks were widely seen as a direct rebuke of Sonko, the charismatic prime minister whose influence propelled their historic electoral victory in 2024.
Senegal’s leadership reflects an unusual balance, where the president holds formal authority while the prime minister commands a powerful grassroots following among disillusioned youth.
The Pastef party swept the March 2024 elections in the first round, promising sweeping reforms and an end to corruption and entrenched governance failures.
That victory followed months of unrest, as protests erupted against former leader Macky Sall amid fears he would pursue a controversial third term.
Faye invoked the sacrifices made during those protests, saying lives lost and freedoms curtailed were not meant to elevate any single political figure.
He emphasised the need to separate the broader reform project from personalities, warning that excessive personalisation could erode the movement’s foundations.
Despite Sonko’s enduring popularity and fiery rhetoric, Faye retains constitutional power, including the authority to dismiss the prime minister by decree.
The president underlined this leverage, noting that Sonko’s position depends on continued confidence, leaving open the possibility of abrupt political change.
Sonko, however, has not remained silent, previously accusing Faye of weak leadership and insufficient support during mounting criticism from political opponents.
Their once-symbiotic alliance now shows visible cracks, casting uncertainty over Senegal’s reform agenda and the durability of its post-election political order.
