Senegal Opposition Presses Faye to Set Local Election Date Amid Sonko Rift

Senegal’s opposition is urging President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to announce a date for long-delayed local elections, a vote that could become an early political test of his increasingly strained relationship with former ally Ousmane Sonko.

The dispute comes as Senegal’s political landscape undergoes a major realignment following the breakdown of the partnership that brought Faye and Sonko to power in 2024. The outcome of local elections could influence the balance of power ahead of the 2029 presidential contest.

Opposition Demands Election Date

Opposition parties are calling on Faye to set dates for municipal and departmental elections, arguing that voters should be allowed to choose new local representatives when the current mandates expire in January.

The five-year terms of local authorities are due to end early next year, but the president has yet to issue the decrees needed to begin the electoral process, including setting the voting date and opening voter registration.

The FDR opposition coalition, led by the former ruling party of ex-President Macky Sall, has rejected any proposal to postpone the elections or extend the mandates of local officials.

The growing pressure places Faye in a difficult political position, with a vote potentially exposing the strength of rival political camps across Senegal’s local government structures.

Sonko Steps Up Pressure

Former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has also repeatedly called for the elections to proceed on schedule, accusing Faye of delaying the process.

During a recent visit to northern Senegal, Sonko publicly criticised the president and urged supporters of the Pastef movement to maintain pressure until an election date is announced.

The two men were once at the centre of Senegal’s political transformation. After Sonko was barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election because of a defamation conviction, he backed Faye as the opposition candidate.

Faye went on to win the presidency, with Sonko later becoming prime minister. Their partnership, however, deteriorated, culminating in Faye removing Sonko from the premiership in May.

January Deadline Approaches

The timing of the elections has become increasingly contentious as the January expiry of local mandates approaches.

Mor Fall, a law lecturer at Dakar University, said Senegal’s electoral code requires the decree setting an election date to be published at least 80 days before voting.

That would mean a vote held before the current local mandates expire in January would require the necessary decree by early November.

However, comments from figures close to Faye have fuelled speculation that the elections could be delayed.

Aminata Toure, an official in Faye’s newly established Kiiraay party, has suggested that the president has the whole of 2027 to organise the local polls.

Such a move could intensify tensions with Sonko and the opposition, particularly if local officials remain in office beyond the expiry of their current mandates.

Faye and Sonko Establish New Political Fault Line

The dispute follows a deeper political split between Faye and Sonko.

Faye formally broke with Pastef in July by launching Kiiraay, or “The Republican Patriots”, signalling a decisive separation from the movement that helped propel both men to national prominence.

The rupture has created uncertainty within the governing political camp. Pastef remains the largest party in parliament, but the split has opened a new struggle for influence as both sides position themselves for the next phase of Senegalese politics.

Local government will be particularly important in that contest. Many councils remain controlled by political forces associated with former president Macky Sall, giving the forthcoming elections the potential to reshape the country’s political map.

Political Calculations

Political analyst Pathe Mbodj said Faye could be reluctant to announce a date while he continues to consolidate his authority.

“He is struggling to get a grip on the political situation,” Mbodj told AFP, describing the country as being in a “hybrid situation” in which the president does not yet exercise complete political control.

A poor performance by Faye’s camp in local elections could weaken the president well before the 2029 presidential election, Mbodj said, potentially making postponement politically attractive.

But delaying the vote would not be straightforward. According to Fall, extending the mandates of local officials would require legislation to be passed by parliament.

Possible Early Legislative Elections

The local election dispute is unfolding alongside uncertainty over the future of Senegal’s parliament.

Trade Minister Serigne Gueye Diop said this week that Faye was considering dissolving parliament in December and calling early legislative elections.

Local media have also reported that the president has sought the Constitutional Council’s opinion on whether local and legislative elections could be held simultaneously in 2027.

The possibility of combining the elections could further reshape the political stakes, potentially turning multiple votes into a broader referendum on Faye’s leadership and the competing visions of his former ally Sonko.

For now, the presidency has not publicly clarified its position on the election timetable. With the January deadline approaching, pressure is mounting on Faye to decide whether to proceed with local elections as scheduled or seek a political and legal route to delay them.