President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also appointed economist Ahmadou Al Amine Lo as the country’s new prime minister
Senegal’s National Assembly has elected former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko as its speaker after he regained his seat as a lawmaker.
Sonko, the leader of the ruling PASTEF party, secured 132 votes out of 133 cast on Tuesday, with one abstention and no votes against.
The vote makes Sonko the second-highest-ranking state official and head of Senegal’s 15th legislature. He replaces El Malick Ndiaye, who resigned as speaker days earlier amid a broader political reshuffle initiated by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
On the same day, the Senegalese presidency confirmed Ahmadou Al Amine Lo’s appointment as the new prime minister. Lo, a 60-year-old economist, has been part of Senegal’s government since April 2024.
He initially served as minister and secretary-general of the government before being appointed minister of state overseeing the implementation and evaluation of the country’s long-term development strategy, Senegal 2050.
During Sonko’s first address as parliamentary speaker, he praised the newly appointed prime minister, describing him as “competent,”“hard-working,” and “dedicated.” He said he had known Lo “perfectly” after working alongside him for more than a year and a half.
The changes follow a dramatic shake-up at the top of Senegal’s government. On Friday, Faye signed a decree formally ending Sonko’s tenure as prime minister and dismissing the entire cabinet, including ministers and state secretaries. The outgoing government was instructed to continue handling routine affairs until a new cabinet is formed.
No official explanation has been given for the dismissals.
Sonko had stepped down from his parliamentary seat after becoming prime minister in April 2024, following Faye’s presidential election victory. Once seen as the main opposition challenger in the 2024 race, Sonko was barred from running after a defamation conviction.
In April this year, Senegal’s National Assembly approved amendments to the electoral code that could pave the way for Sonko to contest the 2029 presidential election.
