Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko held a series of political meetings over the weekend to consolidate his camp and prepare for the 2027 local elections. He first met behind closed doors with his coalition, the Alliance patriotique pour le travail et l’éthique (Apte), which mirrors President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s own “Diomaye président” coalition, highlighting a growing political competition between the two leaders six months into their mandate.
On Sunday, Sonko convened Pastef’s national council, announcing the party’s first-ever congress since its creation in 2014. The party described the congress as a “crucial step in the consolidation and institutionalization” of Pastef. A commission will oversee membership card sales starting in April, priced at 1,000 CFA francs in Senegal, 20 euros in Europe, and 20 dollars elsewhere, with a goal of reaching one million members under an “openness to allies” policy.
Sonko urged militants and allies to recruit mayors and mobilize ahead of the 2027 local elections and the 2029 presidential vote, while affirming he has no plans to resign as Prime Minister. Summarizing his weekend activities, he wrote on Facebook: “The steamroller is in motion.”
