Senegal welcomes its newest president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who at 44 years old, becomes the youngest democratically elected leader in West Africa.
Born in 1980, Faye emerged as the de facto opposition leader in the March 24, 2024 election, which featured 19 candidates.
Faye assumed the role of opposition leader after his mentor, the widely admired Ousmane Sonko, was disqualified from the race by the courts due to previous convictions for serious offenses.
This outcome signals the conclusion of the two-term presidency of outgoing President Macky Sall, who has reiterated his commitment to stepping down on April 2 as scheduled.
Similar to his mentor Sonko, Faye had previously been incarcerated and was only granted presidential pardon in the weeks leading up to the elections.
Here are key details about Senegal’s incoming president:
A. He was released from imprisonment on March 16, alongside Sonko.
B. Faye and Sonko are both leaders of the Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Ethique et la Fraternité (Pastef), a party dissolved in July 2023.
C. He spent 335 days in pre-trial detention on charges including “contempt of court” and “incitement to insurrection.”
D. He celebrated his 44th birthday on March 25, 2024, the same day he was declared the victor in the election.
E. In 2014, at the age of 34, Faye, an alumnus of the Ecole Nationale de l’Administration (ENA), played a significant role in the formation of Pastef during meetings.
F. He emerged as one of the chief architects of Sonko’s presidential campaign program in 2019, earning praise for his strategic acumen. During his first presidential bid, Sonko secured nearly 16% of the vote, finishing third, as noted in a Le Monde profile.
G. President Macky Sall, the ruling party’s candidate Amadou Ba, and other political opponents have extended their congratulations to him on his victory.
H. He becomes Senegal’s 5th president, in a country known for its stable democracy, which has remained free from military intervention since gaining independence.
I. Diomaye Faye’s polygamous status, with two wives, has sparked significant reactions on social media.
In his social media-posted victory speech, he listed four urgent priorities.
“In view of the emergencies that confront us and the hope placed in us, we are working relentlessly, diligently and methodically around priority projects:
1- National reconciliation and the reconstruction of the foundations of our living together;
2- The rebuilding of institutions
3- Significant reduction in the cost of living to alleviate the burdens of daily life;
4- National inclusive sectoral consultations on the evaluation and relaunch of public policies.
“We will walk together, act together and succeed together! Long live Senegal; Long live the Republic; Long live Africa,” he stated.