Senegal's President Sacks PM After Months of Tensions

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the entire government, according to a decree read on state television by presidential aide Oumar Samba Ba. The decree stated that Faye "has ended the duties of Ousmane Sonko... and consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government." No details were provided on the appointment of a new prime minister.

Senegal is in the unusual situation of having a president who owes his position in large part to the prime minister. Sonko, a charismatic opposition figure, was barred from running in the last presidential election due to a defamation conviction. He then backed Faye, who won the presidency. The relationship between Faye and Sonko, his one-time mentor, has soured in recent months, leading to this unexpected dismissal.

The announcement comes amid political tensions in Senegal, a country often seen as a stable democracy in West Africa. The reasons for the dismissal were not immediately clear, and no successor has been named. According to the report by Mehr News, the move highlights the fragile political dynamics between the two leaders.