The President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, unveiled the new cabinet lineup late Monday evening. Nearly two weeks after dismissing his former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, the reshuffled team now faces the monumental task of steering the nation through crippling debt and steadfast resistance to debt restructuring.
Led by the newly appointed Prime Minister, Ahmadou Al Amine Mohamed Lo—who replaces Ousmane Sonko—the 30-member cabinet comprises 26 ministers and four deputy ministers. The team includes just four women, none of whom hold key sovereignty portfolios.
The PASTEF party, led by Ousmane Sonko, has publicly distanced itself from the new government, citing “deep-seated disagreements” with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Several high-profile PASTEF figures have exited the cabinet, including Birame Souley Diop (Energy), Yacine Fall (Justice), Amadou Ba (Culture), and Maïmouna Gueye (Family and Social Solidarity).
a government without parliamentary majority
Just hours before the new cabinet was announced, PASTEF released a statement declaring its refusal to participate in the government due to fundamental policy differences with the administration. Despite this boycott, a few former PASTEF members remain in the new lineup, including Balla Moussa Fofana (Urban Planning), Yancoba Diémé (Defense), Ibrahima Sy (Health), and Cheikh Diba (Finance, Economy, and Planning).
The new cabinet also includes fresh faces from PASTEF who were not part of the previous government, such as Cheikh Tidiane Dieye (Sanitation), Déthie Fall (Infrastructure), Moustapha Guirassy (National Education), Mamadou Lamine Dianté (Civil Service), and Boubacar Camara (Higher Education, Research, and Innovation).
The Coalition Diomaye has secured six ministerial positions, with El Hadj Abdourahmane Diouf—a prominent figure in the coalition and a vocal opponent of PASTEF—taking charge of the Energy and Petroleum portfolio. Meanwhile, prominent Dakar lawyer Me Moussa Sarr has been appointed Minister of Justice, replacing Yacine Fall.
underrepresentation of women in cabinet
With a 30-member cabinet, the new government includes only four women, down from five in the previous 31-member administration. Three of these women hold full ministerial portfolios, while one serves as a deputy minister. The appointed women are Marie Angélique Mame Selbé Diouf (Family, Social Action, and Solidarity), Djirèye Clotilde Coly (Sports and Youth), Ami Mara (Fisheries and Maritime Economy), and Mame Coumba Diop (Culture, Creative Industries, and Historical Heritage, attached to the Ministry of Culture).
Women’s rights advocates have criticized the underrepresentation, arguing that it fails to reflect the demographic weight and expertise of women in Senegal. Dr. Coumba Mar Gadio, a member of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) in Senegal, emphasized that the configuration “neither represents the demographic weight of women in Senegalese society nor their expertise in strategic sectors.” She urged the government to take corrective measures to “strengthen women’s presence in decision-making spheres” and highlighted that “several ministries could greatly benefit from their skills and experience.”
Senegal has had an absolute gender parity law since May 2010, aimed at ensuring women’s equal access to representation and full participation in decision-making bodies. However, its application has been limited to elective positions in fully or partially institutional bodies.
debt crisis and IMF negotiations loom large
Senegal is grappling with a staggering debt burden, including a hidden debt estimated at over $7 billion, which the government has so far refused to restructure. This issue has been a point of contention between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko during negotiations for the new government’s formation.
Amath Ndiaye, an economist and professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, suggests that the new government is likely to adopt a fresh approach to debt management. “The economic downturn, rising unemployment, and growth forecasts of just 2.2% to 2.5% for 2026 underscore the urgency of reaching an agreement with the IMF,” he noted. “The government will need to negotiate with a new mindset, moving away from the restrictive interpretation of sovereignty that characterized the previous administration.”
Ndiaye acknowledged the government’s awareness of the need to restructure its debt but stressed the challenges of balancing IMF negotiations with domestic pressures. “The Al Aminou Lo government faces two contradictory imperatives: securing an IMF agreement for sustainable debt reprofiling—which may impact subsidies across sectors—and addressing social demands amid high living costs, unemployment, and persistent union demands for improved public services,” he explained. “The main difficulty lies in meeting both objectives simultaneously.”
an unprecedented political landscape
Moussa Diaw, a political science professor emeritus at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, describes the current situation in Senegal as “unprecedented.” This stems from a rift between the parliamentary majority—elected in November 2024—and a President whose party initially supported that majority but now finds itself at odds with it.
Diaw attributes this divide to differing views on the political direction needed to address accountability, debt resolution, and justice for the deaths of over 80 Senegalese youth during protests from 2021 to 2024. “The lack of alignment on political priorities has created a real cohabitation scenario: a President without a majority governing by broadening alliances, facing a parliament dominated by PASTEF, which set conditions for participation in the government that were not met,” he explained.”
Diaw warned that this unprecedented cohabitation requires careful management to avoid institutional crises. “The Al Aminou Lo government has limited maneuverability. A government without a majority is inherently weakened and cannot afford to deviate from the majority’s agenda,” he cautioned. “Prime Minister Al Aminou Lo must avoid power struggles he cannot win, while the parliament, with its absolute majority, can block his path at any time.”
clear constitutional division of powers
According to Diaw, the President and the Speaker of the National Assembly must prioritize Senegal’s interests above all else. Both institutions are vital for the country’s stability, each with distinct constitutional prerogatives that must be exercised responsibly to prevent crises.
“The presidency and the National Assembly must each play its role, respecting the new political configuration while upholding the nation’s higher interests,” he stressed. “If both institutions act with responsibility and prioritize Senegal’s well-being, they can avert institutional crises in these challenging economic times.”
Diaw called for concerted efforts, courage, and a commitment to national interest over political ambitions. “Both President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Speaker Ousmane Sonko must demonstrate patriotic resolve to ensure Senegal’s institutions function smoothly and avoid conflicts at the highest levels of government,” he concluded.