Senegal's parliament speaker quits two days after prime minister sacked

DAKAR - Senegal's parliament speaker, El Malick Ndiaye, has announced his resignation, deepening political turmoil in the West African nation two days after the president dismissed the government.

• Ndiaye, a senior figure in the ruling PASTEF party, said on Sunday his resignation was a personal decision, giving the "higher interest of the nation" as a reason for his departure.

• President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday and dissolved the government after months of mounting tension between the two leaders.

• Ties between Faye and Sonko, allies who swept to power together in 2024, soured against a backdrop of growing economic challenges linked to debt and domestic fallout from the Iran war.

• Members of parliament are set to convene on Tuesday to vote on reinstating Sonko as a lawmaker and to elect a new speaker for the National Assembly to replace Ndiaye.

• Some critics say reinstating Sonko would be illegal as he has never been a member of parliament.

(Reporting by Diadie Ba;Writing by Clement Bonnerot; Editing by Anait Miridzhanian and Helen Popper)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 4:41 AM.