In a late-breaking development from the Palais de la République, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed Mr. Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as Senegal’s new Prime Minister. The announcement, carried by state broadcaster RTS, came just three days after the dismissal of Ousmane Sonko from the same role — a decision that has since reshaped the country’s political landscape.
Who Is Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo?
A career economist and former director of the Senegal branch of the BCEAO (Central Bank of West African States).
Largely perceived as a technocrat with no overt partisan profile; prior to this appointment, he was not a prominent figure in the PASTEF party’s public campaigns.
Previously served as Minister of State attached to the Presidency, overseeing the “Senegal 2050” national transformation agenda.
The Appointment — By the Numbers
Date of decree: May 25, 2026
Predecessor: Ousmane Sonko (dismissed May 22)
Parliamentary status: Appointment requires formal approval by the National Assembly within three months.
Assembly President Resigns — Key Facts
On Sunday, May 24, 2026, El Malick Ndiaye, Speaker of Senegal’s National Assembly, announced his resignation. The decision came just two days after President Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
In a statement posted on social media, Mr. Ndiaye described his departure as:
“a personal choice, guided above all by my notion of institutions, public responsibility and the greater interest of the nation.”
He added that the decision followed “deep reflection” on “the sense of statehood,” noting that in public life, “there are times when the interest of the country commands to prioritise integrity, discernment and sense of duty.”
Mr. Ndiaye, born in 1983 in northern Senegal, had served as Assembly President since December 2, 2024, having previously held the portfolio of Minister of Infrastructure and Land and Air Transport.
The Parliamentary Chessboard
Mr. Lo’s nomination arrives at a delicate moment — and the resignation of the Assembly President has reshaped the board entirely.
The National Assembly is dominated by PASTEF (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity) — the party founded by Ousmane Sonko — which holds 130 seats out of 165, an absolute majority secured in the November 2024 legislative elections.
An official legislative document confirmed that lawmakers have been summoned to a plenary session on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The agenda includes two items: the reinstatement of Ousmane Sonko as a member of parliament, followed by the election of a new Speaker of the National Assembly.
Mr. Ndiaye’s resignation is widely seen by observers as clearing the way for Mr. Sonko to seek the presidency of the Assembly — a move that would position him as a powerful rival to President Faye from within the legislative branch.
What Comes Next
Tuesday, May 26, 9:00 a.m.: Full parliamentary session to reinstate Sonko as a deputy and elect a new Assembly Speaker.
Within three months: The National Assembly must either approve or reject Mr. Lo as Prime Minister.
Until November 2026: President Faye is constitutionally barred from dissolving the Assembly, giving the current legislature a firm institutional footing.
Recent amendments to Senegal’s electoral code, approved by parliament weeks ago, have reportedly restored Sonko’s eligibility to contest future presidential elections — a development that raises the possibility of a direct electoral confrontation between the two former allies in 2029.
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