Ousmane Sonko signals Pastef could return to opposition if President Bassirou Diomaye Faye breaks from shared vision.

Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said he is prepared to take his party out of government and return to opposition if President Bassirou Diomaye Faye diverges from the party’s vision, amid rumours of a power struggle between the two colleagues.

Tensions in the West African country have risen following violence at universities and prolonged negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as Senegal works to raise funds and secure a new lending programme.

The IMF froze a $1.8 billion programme in 2024 after Sonko’s government uncovered misreported debts by the previous administration, estimated at over $11 billion.

Speaking to supporters on Sunday in a live broadcast, Sonko said the debate over his relationship with Faye would be irrelevant if the president remains aligned with the party.

He added that if the president is not aligned, the government is in a “soft power-sharing” situation where differences would be managed while seeking common ground.

However, a clearer break could lead to a more difficult cohabitation or the Pastef party returning to opposition. Sonko stressed that Pastef is prepared for either scenario.

CBI News reports that Sonko, who was a popular opposition figure under the previous administration, was barred from running in the 2024 presidential election due to a legal conviction.

He chose Faye, a longtime aide and Pastef member, as his replacement candidate, and Faye subsequently appointed Sonko as prime minister.

Signs of disagreement have emerged since then. In November, the two camps issued conflicting statements over leadership of the ruling coalition.

This followed Sonko’s announcement that the IMF had proposed debt restructuring, which he said Senegal would not accept, causing the country’s international bonds to fall sharply.