(Bloomberg) — Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye warned that the ruling party he founded with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko is at danger of collapse amid growing signs of a rift between the two leaders.
“Pastef is on a trajectory that risks leading it to its downfall if nothing is done,” said Faye, raising concerns that the party is becoming too dependent on the prime minister. “Pastef isn’t just Ousmane and me,” he said on state broadcaster RTS late Saturday. “We have always sought to separate the project from the leader.”
Tension between the two men adds to political uncertainty in the West African nation, which is already strained by drawn-out talks with the International Monetary Fund to aid public finances stressed by the discovery of billions in hidden debt.
Faye and Sonko are competing for influence within the ruling African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity, or Pastef, with Sonko saying in March he’s prepared to take the party back into opposition if Faye doesn’t align with his vision.
“The prime minister is there because he benefits from my confidence,” Faye said. “Once that confidence is broken, there will be a new prime minister.”
Senegal’s semi-presidential system gives the president broad executive powers, including to appoint the prime minister and terminate their functions at any time.
Pastef and Sonko’s office didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment outside of office hours.
The power struggle is unfolding as Senegal grapples with billions of dollars in previously undisclosed debt left by the previous administration, which prompted the IMF to suspend a $1.8 billion facility in 2024.
Efforts to secure a new program were ongoing, Faye said.
“There is no break with the IMF, we want a programme and we continue discussions with the Fund,” Faye said. He added that growth had increased and the fiscal deficit had declined despite the IMF’s absence, saying “this shows the country is well managed.”
Senegal recently slashed its 2026 growth forecast to 2.5%, half of what it previously projected. IMF estimates the nation’s growth at 2.2% based on lower revenues from oil and gas compared to the previous year.
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