• Faye is delivering on campaign promises by cutting French influence and reclaiming control over national resources and identity.
• Senegal’s new strategy strengthens its leverage in negotiations with global powers and investors. 
• Despite strong popular and parliamentary support, internal tensions and slow reforms challenge Faye’s momentum.

Why is Faye HOT?

Answer: Faye has delivered on promises to assert Senegal’s sovereignty by reducing French influence and promoting economic self-determination.

In March 2024, Bassirou Diomaye Faye won Senegal’s presidential election on a resolute pledge to dismantle postcolonial legacies and deliver a decisive break from France’s enduring presence. A year and a half into his presidency, he has fulfilled his campaign commitments by achieving major symbolic milestones, reclaiming control over Senegal’s political and economic future. Most significantly, President Faye has facilitated the ending of 65 years of military presence in Senegal, a decision that underscores his commitment to national sovereignty. 

Jean-Marie Bockel, President Macron’s envoy, had proposed downsizing the French contingent from around 350 to 100 troops, but Faye’s announcement came before any official French decision was made. By acting first, Faye transformed what might have been seen as a French strategic adjustment into a Senegalese act of sovereignty. 

This reinforced his broader agenda of redefining Senegal’s relations with its former colonial power on more equal terms. The move also signalled a decisive  shift from dependency to autonomy, affirming Senegal’s active role in regulating the presence and determining the terms of foreign military cooperation.

Beyond the military sphere, Faye’s pursuit of sovereignty has extended to both economic and cultural autonomy. His administration has emphasised reclaiming control over Senegal’s natural resources, particularly in the oil and gas sectors, and ensuring that revenues are managed transparently and advance national development over foreign interests. In line with this approach, Faye cancelled an $800 million desalination project and paused the $1.8 billion IMF programme, signalling a shift away from dependence on foreign capital and influence. 

By reshaping national and educational narratives, Faye positions cultural sovereignty as a cornerstone of his broader postcolonial reform agenda—one that frames independence not merely as the absence of foreign control, but as the active recovery of Senegal’s agency over its identity. These initiatives reflect a wider effort to establish self-determination across multiple domains, reinforcing the message that Senegal is capable of charting its own path politically, economically, and culturally. 

Yet, while these symbolic victories have been highly visible, translating them into concrete structural reforms has proven more complex. Some of Faye’s flagship initiatives, such as public sector reform, renegotiation of extractive contracts, and pursuing monetary autonomy, have progressed slowly. This underscores the challenges of converting ambitious rhetoric into lasting change.

What is changing Faye’s heat level?

Answer: Faye has a strong parliamentary majority and popular mandate, but slow reforms and internal tensions test his ability to produce tangible results.

In September 2024, Faye dissolved parliament after growing tensions with an opposition-led legislature that blocked his reform plans, calling snap elections to gain a stronger mandate for his agenda. His party, PASTEF, won a commanding majority in the National Assembly with 130 out of 165 seats. 

This victory provides Faye with the legislative backing needed to advance his reform programme without the parliamentary gridlock that hampered earlier efforts. It also significantly strengthens his influence over the policymaking process, allowing him to steer Senegal’s political and economic direction with greater autonomy.

However, despite securing a strong parliamentary majority, President Faye’s government displays internal tensions, particularly in his relationship with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Though once united by a shared vision of sovereignty and reform, the two have struggled to define their respective roles in power, with Sonko warning that he is being blocked from effectively carrying out his role. These frictions risk slowing decision-making and undermining the coherence of the government’s reform agenda. revealing the broader challenge of turning a protest movement into a stable and cohesive governing force.

Additionally,  despite the early momentum, Faye now faces criticism for falling short on his campaign promises. His platform of restoring sovereignty, lowering living costs, and fighting corruption inspired broad popular support, particularly among youth. While he has maintained a strong symbolic commitment to sovereignty and Pan-African independence, the practical implementation of his reforms has proven more complex. 

What is driving Faye?

Answer: A vision of state-led development and economic self-reliance that rejects neoliberal policies and embraces Pan-Africanist ideals. 

Faye’s governance is driven by a desire to break with the neoliberal policies long associated with Senegal’s political elite. His rise to power was rooted in widespread frustration with economic models perceived as benefiting a small class, while marginalizing the broader population–especially youth. This discontent was amplified by growing inequality, dependency on foreign investment, and the rising cost of living, all of which fuelled demands for a more inclusive and self-determined development path.

Faye’s rhetoric and policies reflect a conscious rejection of these deeply ingrained economic orthodoxies in favour of a state that plays a stronger, more interventionist role in ensuring equity, sovereignty, and self-reliance. He advocates strongly for economic emancipation and positions state-led development and social justice at the core of his vision.

 This approach aligns him with broader Pan-African and anti-neocolonial currents sweeping across the continent, which emphasize regional solidarity and independence from former colonial powers and institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.

At the same time, Faye has taken steps to reclaim Senegal’s history and identity. He has announced plans for a new government agency that will revise school textbooks to centre national perspectives and rename landmarks and streets that commemorate colonial legacies. Multiple symbolic streets have already been renamed by Faye. Through these initiatives, Faye seeks to highlight Senegal’s history and celebrate its influential figures and defining milestones. 

Faye’s long-term strategy, “Senegal 2050”, outlines a roadmap for the country’s development and economic self-sufficiency. The plan emphasises strengthening domestic industries and reducing reliance on foreign capital and imports. Thus, Faye seeks to redefine development as a sovereign project rooted in national priorities and African agency, rather than compliance with external models.

What does this mean for you?

Answer:  Senegal is redefining sovereignty politics in West Africa by using institutional mechanisms to rebalance foreign power and strengthen its position. 

Senegal’s new direction under Faye is part of a larger anti-neocolonial movement reshaping African politics. His decision to end France’s military presence and review extractive contracts reflects a continental push to reclaim control over national resources and policy. 

In contrast to countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where similar moves have followed military coups, Senegal is advancing this agenda through political and institutional channels. This offers an alternative model within the region, displaying that sovereignty-driven reforms can unfold through civilian governance mechanisms rather than through force.

At the same time, Senegal’s approach carries important implications for the competition among foreign powers in West Africa. As Western influence wanes, particularly France’s, emerging foreign powers such as China and Türkiye are increasingly seeking strategic partnerships, investment opportunities, and access to resources. For instance, China, in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States, has financed and constructed major infrastructure projects across the region. These include Nigeria’s Lekki Deep-Sea Port, Senegal’s Ila Touba Expressway and Ghana’s Bui Dam. Meanwhile, Turkey has expanded its diplomatic and trade presence through investments in logistics and construction. 

By projecting both sovereignty and stability, Faye positions Senegal as a focal point for regional cooperation and economic engagement, providing a predictable and secure environment for engagement and giving the country itself greater leverage in negotiating terms with foreign actors.