President Bassirou Diomaye Faye launched the Republican Patriots, formalizing a growing rift with former ally Ousmane Sonko amid a mounting debt crisis. Several Pastef regional leaders and youth members have defected to Faye, and some members of the opposition Alliance for The Republic have also joined his movement. Disputes over IMF negotiations and the discovery that the previous administration underreported billions in borrowing intensified the split, which could reshape the 2027 local elections and the 2029 presidential race.
Senegal’s President Faye Launches Republican Patriots, Deepening Rift With Former Ally Sonko
FILE - President Bassirou Diomaye Faye addresses the 80th session of the UN General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye formally launched a new political party, the Republican Patriots, in Dakar on Saturday, cementing a public split with his one-time ally Ousmane Sonko and setting the stage for a fierce political contest as Senegal faces a worsening debt crisis.
Background
The Republican Patriots make official a rupture that had been building since Faye and Sonko rose together under the Pastef banner during the 2024 campaign. In the weeks leading up to the launch, several Pastef regional leaders and figures from the party’s youth wing resigned and joined Faye’s new movement, and some members of the opposition Alliance for The Republic have also crossed over, broadening his base.
Key Disputes
The alliance between Faye and Sonko collapsed amid sharp disagreements over major policy choices — most notably how to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund over a loan program — while Senegal grapples with a severe debt burden. Officials discovered that the previous administration had underreported billions of dollars in borrowing, complicating fiscal policy and making the government’s promises harder to deliver.
Earlier this year Faye dismissed Sonko from the post of prime minister. Despite that move, Sonko’s Pastef retained a large parliamentary majority and Sonko was elected president of the National Assembly soon after, giving him significant institutional influence.
New Government Lineup
In May, Faye appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister. A new Cabinet was announced in June that excluded Pastef ministers after Sonko declared his party would not participate in the government.
Political Implications
By forming his own party, Faye is positioning himself for a political showdown with Sonko that is likely to play out in the 2027 local elections and could shape the contest for the 2029 presidential race. The split also signals a reshuffling of alliances in Senegalese politics at a time when economic pressures and IMF negotiations will be central campaign issues.
Bottom line: The launch of the Republican Patriots both formalizes a leadership split at the top of Senegalese politics and raises the stakes for upcoming local and national elections as the government struggles with a newly exposed, deepening debt crisis.
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