Senegals lawmakers elect former Prime Minister Sonko as new parliament speaker

Senegal’s Parliament Elects Ousmane Sanko as Speaker

In a move that could potentially give him a strong platform to challenge President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal’s parliament has elected ousted Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko as speaker. This decision comes after President Faye dismissed Sonko on Friday and dissolved the cabinet, amid growing economic uncertainty.

On Tuesday, lawmakers voted to reinstate Sonko as a member of the parliament and elect him as speaker with 132 votes in favour. No member voted against him, while one abstained, according to the session’s presiding member, Ismael Diallo. Sonko was the sole candidate for the position, replacing El Malick Ndiaye, who resigned on Sunday.

Sonko remains the leader of Pastef, the party that controls 130 of the 165 seats in Senegal’s legislative body. The election follows months of speculation about a rift between Sonko and Faye over how to handle the country’s debt crisis.

Aissata Tall Sall, head of the main opposition, denounced an “institutional coup” on Monday, stating that it was prepared under pressure from the majority. However, no further details were provided.

Sonko previously served as Prime Minister in April 2024, after winning the presidential election the previous month. Faye’s position largely depends on Sonko, who had been his mentor before being barred from the presidential election due to a defamation conviction.

President Faye has appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lo as Prime Minister, citing his expertise in steering Senegal out of crippling debt. The new appointee will face the challenge of governing and implementing reforms in a country struggling with serious economic difficulties.

Source: Al Jazeera