Senegal’s ruling PASTEF party are contesting President Diomaye Faye’s authority over a key appointment which they reject, revealing the deep divisions within the movement that won the March 2024 presidential election.
President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye and the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF) party, led by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, made a public show of their
disagreements over the restructuring of the “Diomaye President” coalition.
This sharp division was evidenced by two documents made public Tuesday evening.
In a letter dated November 11, 2025, the head of state announced that he had terminated Aissatou Mbodj’s duties as head of the presidential coalition, effective September 10. He justified this decision by the need for a “reorganisation” to make the coalition “more operational, better structured, and fully effective.”
President Faye then appointed Aminata Toure, former general supervisor of his electoral campaign, to lead this restructuring process, deploring the “lethargy and divisive factors” that persisted two
months after his initial request.
In a statement released the same day, the PASTEF National Political Bureau directly contests the presidential decisions. The party emphasises that the restructuring process “has already been
undertaken” under the leadership of Aissatou Mbodj, resulting in the production of preparatory documents including a charter, internal regulations, and a proposed new name: “APTE (Patriotic Alliance for Work and Ethics).”
PASTEF reiterates that “Bassirou Diomaye Faye does not have the power to remove Aissatou Mbodj, who was designated by the Conference of Leaders,” adding that “the coalition has never had Bassirou Diomaye Faye as its president; he was only its candidate.”
The party also distances itself from Aminata Toure, stating that it does not share “the same values or principles” with her. PASTEF announces that it will pursue its own agenda, notably “finalising the
APTE coalition, under the presidency of Aissatou Mbodj.”
Bassirou Diomaye Faye had been designated PASTEF’s candidate for the presidential election initially scheduled for February 2024 and postponed to March of the same year, after Ousmane Sonko, the party’s leader, was prevented from running.
Then Secretary General of PASTEF and candidate for the Diomaye President coalition, he won the election against Amadou Ba, candidate for the Benno Bokk Yaakaar coalition of former President Macky Sall.
Since assuming the presidential functions, the head of state has resigned from PASTEF’s
decision-making bodies.
AC/fss/as/APA