Senegal’s political rivalry is moving towards a new test as opposition parties and former allies of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demand that he set a date for local elections, amid growing fears that the vote could be delayed as his split with former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko intensifies.
The five-year terms of municipal and departmental officials are due to expire in January, but Faye has not yet issued the decrees needed to begin the electoral process, including setting a voting date and opening voter registration. The delay has put the upcoming polls at the centre of an increasingly bitter political struggle between Faye and Sonko, who once worked together to bring their political movement to power.
The FDR opposition coalition, led by the former ruling party of ex-president Macky Sall, has rejected any move to postpone the elections or extend the terms of current local officials.
Sonko has also repeatedly called for the elections to be held on schedule, accusing Faye of delaying the process. During a recent visit to northern Senegal, he urged supporters of their former Pastef movement to keep up pressure until the president announces an election date.
The dispute is the latest sign of the deep political break between Faye and Sonko, who were once close allies and key figures in the movement that swept them to power in 2024.
Sonko was prevented from running in the 2024 presidential election after a defamation conviction. He later backed Faye as Pastef’s candidate, helping him secure the presidency. After taking office, Faye appointed Sonko as prime minister.
Their relationship, however, began to deteriorate in 2025 as both men developed separate centres of political influence. Faye pushed for greater political independence, while Sonko remained the dominant figure within Pastef.
Differences over the organisation of the governing coalition became increasingly public, with Sonko openly questioning the president’s leadership.
The disagreements later extended to government policy and economic management, particularly over how Senegal should respond to its growing debt problems and its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.
By early 2026, the differences had turned into an open political struggle. In May, Faye removed Sonko as prime minister and dissolved his government following months of disagreements over the direction of the administration.
Pastef then declined to join the new government, although Sonko continued to command considerable political support. He was later elected president of the National Assembly, leaving the two former allies leading separate political centres.
The split widened further in July when Faye launched his own political party, Kiiraay, meaning “The Republican Patriots”. The party gave the president a political base separate from Sonko and Pastef.
The forthcoming local elections have now become a key battleground in the rivalry.
Dakar University law lecturer Mor Fall said Senegal’s electoral code requires the decree setting the election date to be published at least 80 days before voting. This means that if the elections are to take place before the current local officials’ mandates expire in January, the decree would have to be issued by early November.
However, people close to Faye have suggested the elections could be held later.
Aminata Toure, an official in Kiiraay, has said the president has the whole of 2027 to organise the polls. The position has raised concerns among opponents that the elections could be postponed.
Political analyst Pathe Mbodj said Faye could be unwilling to call the vote while he is still trying to strengthen his political control.
“He is struggling to get a grip on the political situation,” Mbodj told AFP, describing the current circumstances as a “hybrid situation” in which the president does not yet exercise full political control.
A poor showing for Faye’s side in the local elections could weaken his position ahead of the 2029 presidential election, making the timing and outcome of the vote politically important.
Fall said extending the mandates of local officials would require legislation to be passed by parliament.
The uncertainty also comes as Senegal faces questions over its wider electoral calendar. Trade Minister Serigne Gueye Diop has said Faye is 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 at the same time in 2027.
The presidency has not responded to requests for comment, leaving the timing of Senegal’s next electoral contest unclear as Faye and Sonko, once political partners, move towards a potentially decisive showdown.