Senegal’s ruling Pastef party secures large majority in parliament

Win grants President Bassirou Diomaye Faye a clear mandate to carry out ambitious reforms.

Senegal’s ruling Pastef party has won a resounding victory in legislative elections, securing 130 of 165 seats in parliament, according to provisional results.

The win grants newly elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye a clear mandate to carry out ambitious reforms promised during the campaign. They include fighting corruption, revamping the fishing industry and maximising natural resources benefits.

After the results were read out by the national vote-counting commission on Thursday, Pastef representative Amadou Ba told reporters the majority represented a vote of confidence that should encourage Senegal’s international backers.

“It is very important not only in terms of the legitimacy of the new authorities but also regarding our technical and financial partners that they know that there is a people standing behind this new government,” Ba said in comments aired on state television.

“I believe this will only accelerate the process of structural reforms in our economy and our society.”

The main opposition coalition, led by former President Macky Sall, won 16 seats. Sall congratulated Pastef in a post on X on election day, and two other major opposition leaders conceded defeat hours after the polls closed on Sunday.

Ousmane Sonko, Pastef’s highly charismatic prime minister, is considered the mastermind behind the legislative landslide.

Sonko came to power with Faye in March after a landslide victory. He said an opposition-led parliament hampered his government’s power in the first few months after the elections and decided to dissolve parliament on September 12 and call snap elections.

Faye and Sonko have promised to diversify political and economic partnerships, review hydrocarbon and fishing contracts, and re-establish Senegal’s sovereignty, which they said has been sold abroad.