DAKAR, Senegal (AP) 鈥� ‘s ousted Prime Minister said his ruling majority party will not participate in the new government after months of tensions with President , threatening political deadlock in a country already buckling under record debt.
The two were former allies from the party known as Pastef, an acronym from its French name, Patriotes Africains du S茅n茅gal pour le Travail, l鈥櫭塼hique et la Fraternit茅. The party, which is headed by Sonko, holds a strong majority in parliament with 130 deputies out of 165.
“We are entering a real opposition dynamic,鈥� Babacar Ndiaye, a political analyst at the Senegal-based Wathi think tank said on Tuesday, adding that Pastef could call a vote of no confidence against the new government that could create a governance gridlock.
The government announced on Monday by the new Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo includes no major figures from the ruling majority or close associates of Sonko, who previously held key ministries.
Sonko, who has said that Pastef would 鈥渘ot participate in this government due to points of disagreement” with Faye and Lo, in May following months of tensions between him and the president.
While Faye and Sonko used to be allies when they came to power in April 2024, the two have openly disagreed on key policies in recent months, including about negotiations for a loan from the .
Senegal is facing a and has one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios in Africa. A government audit last year revealed a larger-than-reported debt of $13 billion attributed to the previous administration.
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