Ousmane Sonko who was sacked as prime minister on Friday, is making moves to take over as Speaker of Senegal’s National Assembly today in what is being seen as a direct political showdown with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Sonko’s Pastef party holds a dominant majority. Lawmakers have been summoned for a full parliamentary session today to reinstate Sonko as a member of parliament and elect a new Speaker of the National Assembly.
The development comes after El Malick Ndiaye, the current Assembly speaker and a close Sonko ally, resigned on Sunday.
The move is expected to deepen the growing power struggle between Sonko and President Faye which has been simmering following months of reported internal tensions within the ruling camp.
Under Senegalese law, President Faye must now appoint a new prime minister, but the nominee must secure approval from the National Assembly within three months, a chamber now firmly under Sonko’s influence. The president is also unable to dissolve parliament until November.
Recent amendments to Senegal’s electoral code have reportedly restored Sonko’s eligibility to contest future presidential elections, setting the stage for an even bigger political confrontation ahead.
