Senegal Speaker Resigns, Opening Path for Ousmane Sonko to Lead Parliament Amid Power Struggle

On 24 May 2026 Senegal’s National Assembly president El Malick Ndiaye submitted his resignation, days after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on 22 May. The ruling PASTEF party retains a dominant majority (130 of 165 seats), and Sonko’s removal has triggered a constitutional dispute over whether he can reclaim his parliamentary seat after serving as a minister. Legal experts cite Articles 123, 124 and 132 of the Assembly’s internal rules, arguing that a minister elected as a deputy is immediately incompatible with the legislative mandate and must forfeit the seat, while Sonko’s camp points to Article 56 of the Constitution allowing reintegration after leaving government.

An extraordinary plenary session is scheduled for 26 May 2026 to (1) re‑integrate Sonko as a deputy and (2) elect a new Assembly speaker. Opposition groups such as Takku Wallu Sénégal have condemned the resignation procedure as irregular and warned that Sonko’s possible election as speaker could create an "institutional coup" and tilt the balance of power toward the legislature, threatening President Faye’s already fragile authority. The crisis unfolds against a backdrop of a severe debt burden and stalled IMF negotiations, heightening concerns about political instability and economic recovery.