Senegal's ousted PM Sonko boycotts new government, raising fears of political deadlock

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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal 's ousted Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said his ruling majority party will not participate in the new government after months of tensions with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, 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 Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité. 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,” 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 “not participate in this government due to points of disagreement" with Faye and Lo, was sacked alongside all other ministers 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 International Monetary Fund.

Senegal is facing a deepening debt crisis and rising cost of living 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.