Senegal parliament speaker steps down as political crisis worsens
Summary
Senegal’s parliament speaker, El Malick Ndiaye, resigned after the prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, was fired by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye amid political tensions. Sonko’s party, Pastef, holds a strong majority in parliament, and Sonko may soon run for the head of parliament, which adds to political uncertainty during a debt crisis.Key Facts
- El Malick Ndiaye resigned as Senegal’s parliament speaker two days after Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko was removed.
- Ousmane Sonko’s party, Pastef, controls most seats in parliament.
- Sonko was fired by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye after months of political conflict.
- Sonko was previously barred from running in the last presidential election due to a defamation conviction.
- Senegal faces a debt crisis, with debt at 132% of its economic output by end of 2024.
- The IMF paused a $1.8 billion loan program after discovering hidden debt from a past government.
- The government planned to resume talks with the IMF in June to reach a new financial agreement.
- Electoral changes were approved that might allow Sonko to run for president in 2029.
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