Senegal Parliament Speaker Resigns Days After President Sacks Prime Minister Sonko

Senegal’s Parliament Speaker, El Malick Ndiaye, has resigned just two days after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, intensifying the country’s growing political crisis.

Ndiaye, a prominent member of the ruling PASTEF party, announced on Sunday that his decision to step down was motivated by the “higher interest of the nation.”

The resignation comes amid escalating tensions between President Faye and Sonko, longtime political allies who rose to power together in 2024. Their relationship has reportedly deteriorated in recent months due to mounting economic pressures, rising debt concerns, and domestic repercussions linked to the Iran war.

President Faye on Friday removed Sonko from office and dissolved the government, marking a dramatic turn in Senegal’s political landscape.

Parliament is expected to reconvene on Tuesday to vote on whether Sonko should be reinstated as a lawmaker and to elect a new Speaker of the National Assembly to replace Ndiaye.

However, the move to reinstate Sonko has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it would be unconstitutional because he has never officially served as a member of parliament.