By Dalena Reporters — Dakar, Senegal — 12 November 2025
A significant leadership dispute has erupted in Senegal’s governing coalition, underscoring mounting internal tensions as the country pursues a critical financial rescue package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the ruling party, led by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, have released contradictory statements regarding the authority to appoint the head of the coalition that backed President Faye’s campaign.
According to the announcement made by the presidency on Tuesday, Faye designated former Prime Minister Aminata Touré to lead the coalition of supporting parties. The move, however, was immediately rejected by the party of Sonko — the Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF) — which affirmed that it continues to recognise Aissatou Mbodj, a close ally of Sonko, as coalition leader.
The disagreement arrives at a sensitive time. Senegal is negotiating to reactivate a suspended US $1.8 billion IMF support programme after revealing previously hidden state debts now estimated at over US $11 billion. Analysts fear that internal political discord could derail the negotiations, especially as Senegal’s international bonds recently slid to a four-month low amid concerns over governance and reform progress. The Mighty 790 KFGO | KFGO
President Faye appointed Touré without consulting Sonko’s party leadership, a decision the party characterised as an overreach. Sources say the move signals a power shift within the presidency and raises questions about who actually holds sway within the coalition’s ranks. Sonko, long considered the dominant figure of the party, had chosen Faye to run for president when Sonko was barred from contesting in 2024. Faye then appointed Sonko as prime minister, ostensibly forming a united front.
The split has elicited concern among foreign investors and multilateral partners, who view cohesion within the governing coalition as vital to implementing economic reforms and fulfilling IMF conditions. The public disagreement casts doubt on Senegal’s ability to pursue fiscal consolidation and debt transparency effectively.
For now, both sides deny a full-blown power struggle. Yet the optics tell a different story — with a birthday of internal divisions just months after the coalition seized power and with major structural reforms ahead. The coming weeks will test whether the coalition can resolve its leadership wrangle or whether the dispute will deepen, further complicating Senegal’s path to economic stability and reform.