Former Senegal Prime Minister Sonko Elected Parliament Speaker

Senegal’s former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has been elected Speaker of the national parliament amid a rapidly evolving political climate in the West African country.

The former Speaker resigned on Sunday, paving the way for Sonko, whose party – the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity – holds a majority in the National Assembly.

The decisive election of Sonko followed President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s dismissal of him as Prime Minister a few days earlier. The two had been close allies until their relationship deteriorated in recent months.

Sonko, 51, has stated that he will not use his new role to target anyone, saying, “What is at stake is the relationship between morality and politics.”

He added that the PASTEF platform remains open to responsible discussion “that sets aside egos to complete this term in the best possible conditions.”

As the country’s second‑highest political office holder, Sonko could leverage his legislative influence to challenge certain policies of President Faye.

In parallel, President Faye has appointed 60‑year‑old Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as Prime Minister. Lo, an economist, previously headed the Central Bank of West African States.