Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has announced that he will create his own political party.
This development marks a complete break with Pastef, the party that brought him to the presidency.
The move comes barely a week after parliament passed a controversial bill limiting presidential powers, including barring the president from leading a political party or political coalition.
When Faye won the presidential election under Pastef—a party for which he served as secretary-general—he appointed the party’s president, Ousmane Sonko, as prime minister.
Faye then dissolved parliament and called for elections, which saw Pastef win a parliamentary majority.
However, a conflict later erupted between him and Sonko, resulting in Sonko being dismissed as prime minister.
Sonko was subsequently elected president of the National Assembly.
Within less than two terms, parliament began adopting laws that curtailed the president’s authority.
Yesterday, Faye held a meeting with the mayors of the presidential coalition, during which he announced the creation of his own party.
#MMINews