Just four days following his removal from the Prime Minister’s office by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Ousmane Sonko was elected on Tuesday to preside over the Senegalese National Assembly.
The parliamentary session unfolded amidst significant political tension, characterized by a boycott from opposition deputies. These dissenting members vehemently denounced the development, labeling it a “constitutional coup d’état.”
Despite recent indications of divergence between Ousmane Sonko and the Head of State, both prominent figures of the Pastef party, the former Prime Minister garnered overwhelming backing from his party’s parliamentarians. Pastef holds a dominant position within the legislative body, commanding 130 of the 165 available seats.
His ascension to the leadership of the parliamentary institution firmly re-establishes his central role in the Senegalese political landscape. Upon the announcement of the election results, he was met with enthusiastic applause from Pastef deputies.
Ousmane Sonko steps into the role previously held by El Malick Ndiaye, who submitted his resignation on Sunday.