The constitutional option left deliberately open

Bassirou Diomaye Faye has not shut the door on dissolving Senegal’s National Assembly, now chaired by his former ally Ousmane Sonko. In an interview in New York on Thursday, September 24, the Senegalese president tied any such decision to how relations between the country’s institutions evolve, at a moment when his government must defend its budget choices before an Assembly dominated by Pastef.

Asked whether he was considering dissolving the Assembly, the head of state replied: “Why rule out a prerogative that the Constitution invests in you?” He announced neither a dissolution nor an election date. “Everything depends on necessity or context. When the time comes, depending on what we face, we will decide,” he added.

A rupture he now names without hesitation

That answer follows a political break he has now described in direct terms. Questioned about the dismissal of Ousmane Sonko, his former prime minister, Faye pointed to “persistent divergences on certain issues.” “When this loss of trust persisted, I chose another prime minister,” he explained. He nevertheless rejected the idea that talks with the International Monetary Fund alone had caused their separation.

The disagreement now also plays out in Parliament. Sonko took the presidency of the National Assembly after leaving government, giving him a central role in scrutinising texts put forward by the executive. Asked about a possible rejection of the amended finance bill by Pastef deputies, Faye defended the distinct responsibility of each institution: “Everyone assumes their responsibilities, and the people arbitrate.”

Loyalty, betrayal and the weight of an oath

To accusations of betrayal from some members of his former party, the president countered with his commitment at the head of state. “The only thing I am capable of betraying is my oath,” he declared. How the political confrontation unfolds will depend in part on how the Assembly receives the government’s financial measures.

Macky Sall at the UN: a support that raises eyebrows

Bassirou Diomaye Faye has reaffirmed his backing for his predecessor Macky Sall’s candidacy for United Nations secretary-general. Despite doubts about his chances, the Senegalese president believes “the game remains open” and says he is in talks with members likely to influence the choice.

To justify that position, Faye highlights Macky Sall’s international experience and Africa’s representation at the UN. “Who is better placed today to defend a stronger place for Africa than President Macky Sall?” he asked during the interview.

The head of state also invoked the debt question, central to Senegal’s current financial difficulties. According to him, Macky Sall has “endured the torments of debt,” an experience that would make him suited to champion reform of the international financial architecture. In that answer, Faye did not address the responsibilities attributed to the former government over undeclared debt.