Dakar — President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has terminated the mandate of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and his entire government through a presidential decree issued Friday evening, following months of escalating tensions between the two leaders.

The announcement, broadcast live on national television by presidential secretary-general Oumar Samba Ba, stated that Faye “has put an end to the functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, and consequently to those of all ministers and state secretaries in the government.”

The outgoing officials are now tasked with handling current administrative affairs until a new government is formed.

Sonko, a former opposition figure to ex-President Macky Sall (2012–2024), was barred from running in the February 2024 presidential election after a defamation conviction stripped him of his civil rights. His disqualification sparked widespread protests against Sall’s potential bid for a controversial third term.

Prior to the election, Sonko had backed Faye as his replacement. Since Faye’s victory, however, their alliance has deteriorated, with the charismatic former prime minister’s significant influence becoming a point of contention between the two leaders.

Known for his pan-Africanist rhetoric, Sonko had galvanized Senegal’s disillusioned youth ahead of the 2024 election, emerging as a symbol of resistance during his prolonged standoff with Sall’s administration.

“Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep peacefully at Keur Gorgui,” Sonko wrote on Facebook shortly after the announcement, referring to his residence in Dakar’s Keur Gorgui district.

Videos circulating on social media showed Sonko’s supporters rushing to his home, chanting his name in celebration of his removal from office. The rift between the president and prime minister had been evident for months, dimming hopes for a lasting partnership.

Sonko’s party holds a dominant majority in Senegal’s National Assembly after securing a landslide victory in the November 2024 legislative elections.