Ousmane Sonko Re‑elected Unanimously as Head of Senegal's Ruling Pastef Party

On 6 June 2026, Ousmane Sonko was re‑elected unanimously as president of the Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité (PASTEF) at the party’s first national congress in Diamniadio, near Dakar. All 583 delegates – representing the party’s 130 seats in the 165‑member National Assembly – cast 100 % of the votes for Sonko, giving him a six‑year term.

The congress, attended by thousands of militants and diaspora delegates, reaffirmed PASTEF’s internal statutes and adopted a new political orientation. The party, which holds a parliamentary majority, can file a motion of censure that could topple the government at any time. Sonko’s re‑election comes amid a sharp rift with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who dismissed Sonko as prime minister on 22 May 2026. The leadership clash has heightened political tension and raised concerns about economic stability and donor confidence in Senegal.

Sonko pledged to expand the party’s grassroots network, targeting 100 000 cells and one million members, while urging “no further division” in the country.