On Monday, Senegal’s new Prime Minister unveiled the cabinet’s composition. Hours earlier, Ousmane Sonko, leader of the ruling Pastef-Les Patriotes party, had declared that no member of his party would be included.

This decision formalizes the political break between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former ally, Ousmane Sonko, confirming the definitive split between the two once-united figures.

The rift has left many Senegalese students baffled and disillusioned. At Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, some still struggle to accept the end of the duo that once symbolized the hope for change.

A crushing disappointment for the duo’s supporters

Beneath the trees of the Faculty of Literature, Amath Segnane reviews his notes. Like many young voters, he had pinned his hopes on the alliance between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko.

The student doesn’t hide his disillusionment. “They sold us the idea that Diomaye and Sonko were inseparable. They made us believe they trusted each other and would work hand in hand to rebuild this country. But if today we’ve reached this breaking point, it’s inevitably a huge disappointment,” he laments.

For him, the separation calls into question the image of unity that defined their political rise.

For some, a rupture long in the making

Moments before his economics class begins, Mamadou Bah, a student at the Faculty of Economics and Management, believes the split was inevitable.

He argues that tensions between the two leaders had been evident for months. “We saw for a long time that the former Prime Minister no longer respected the President’s authority. He acted as if he were above the head of state. So I’m not surprised he was removed from office—and thus, the split. I fully support the President’s decision,” he asserts.

Though disappointed by the turn of events, he acknowledges that the head of state was justified in reclaiming control over the executive branch.

Between skepticism and uncertainty about the future

Not everyone is ready to accept the finality of the split. Omar Sarr, an Arabic studies student, still clings to hope for reconciliation between the two former allies.

He finds it hard to envision an irreversible separation. “Without Sonko, we would never have known Diomaye. They worked together for years, all the way to winning the presidency. Right now, opinions are divided—some side with Diomaye, others with Sonko. I refuse to believe this is a divorce. I simply cannot accept it,” he shares.

With President Bassirou Diomaye Faye now governing without the backing of the majority party, Pastef-Les Patriotes, and Ousmane Sonko—now President of the National Assembly—joining the opposition, Senegal’s political landscape remains a hotbed of debate and uncertainty.