Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has launched a new political party, formalising an increasingly bitter split with his former ally, Ousmane Sonko, as the country faces mounting political tensions and a deepening debt crisis.
Faye officially announced the establishment of the Republican Patriots party on Saturday, bringing an end to the alliance that carried both men to power in the 2024 elections under the banner of Sonko’s African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity party, widely known as PASTEF.
The new party’s creation follows months of disagreements between Faye and Sonko over the government’s political and economic direction. One of the main disputes reportedly centred on negotiations with the International Monetary Fund over a potential financing programme as Senegal struggles with rising debt pressures.
Divisions inside the ruling camp
In the weeks leading up to the announcement, several PASTEF officials reportedly defected to Faye’s camp, including local party leaders and members of its youth wing.
A number of figures from the opposition Alliance for the Republic party have also joined the president’s new movement.
Faye and Sonko campaigned together during the 2024 presidential election, promising to create jobs for young people, fight corruption and secure a greater share of Senegal’s oil, gas and mineral revenues.
However, their alliance began to unravel after they entered government, amid growing disagreements over the management of key economic and political issues.
Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister earlier this year. Despite the move, PASTEF retained a large parliamentary majority, and Sonko was later elected president of the National Assembly.
In May, Faye appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister. A new government was formed the following month without PASTEF ministers after Sonko announced that his party would not participate.
The political rupture comes as Senegal confronts an increasingly serious financial crisis. Authorities have said the previous administration understated the true scale of public borrowing, leaving the country with a significantly heavier debt burden than previously disclosed.