Senegal’s parliament speaker resigns just two days following the dismissal of the prime minister

El Malick Ndiaye, the speaker of Senegal’s parliament, has declared his resignation, intensifying the political turmoil in the West African nation just two days following the president’s dismissal of the government.

Ndiaye, a senior figure in the ruling PASTEF party, announced on Sunday that his resignation was a personal decision, citing the “higher interest of the nation” as the reason for his departure.

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

Ties between Faye and Sonko, allies who rose to power together in 2024, deteriorated amid increasing economic challenges associated with debt and the domestic repercussions of the Iran war.

Members of parliament are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to vote on the reinstatement of Sonko as a lawmaker and to elect a new speaker for the National Assembly to succeed Ndiaye.

Some critics argue that reinstating Sonko would be unlawful since he has never held a position in parliament