Bassirou Diomaye Faye | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Faye in 2025 | |
| 5th President of Senegal | |
| Assumed office 2 April 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Ousmane Sonko |
| Preceded by | Macky Sall |
| General Secretary ofPASTEF | |
| In office 15 October 2022 – 3 April 2024 | |
| Leader | Ousmane Sonko |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ayib Daffé |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1980-03-25)25 March 1980 (age 45) Ndiaganiao, Senegal |
| Party | PASTEF (since 2014) |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | National School of Administration, Dakar Cheikh Anta Diop University |
| Occupation |
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Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye (Wolof:Basiiru Jomaay Jaxaar Fay; born 25 March 1980), commonly knownmononymously asDiomaye, is a Senegalese politician and former tax official who is serving as the fifth and currentpresident of Senegal since 2024. He was previously thegeneral secretary ofPASTEF, who won the2024 Senegalese presidential election in place of disqualified candidateOusmane Sonko, whom he later appointed asprime minister.
Faye was born on 25 March 1980[1] in Ndiaganiao, in the western department ofM'bour, Senegal.[2] He is a member of theSerer ethnic group from the nobleFaye family. His middle name, "Diomaye", means "honourable" inSerer.[3][4] Having had a traditional village upbringing, he has always claimed his rural origins, and "imbued himself with educational and social values typical of his land, Ndiaganiao, in Serer country".[5][6] His father, Samba Faye, a long-time member of theSocialist Party of Senegal, is quoted with saying that his son grew up with left-wing ideals. His grandfather fought forFrance duringWorld War I as aSenegalese Tirailleur, and later was jailed following a dispute with French colonial authorities over his efforts to establish a district high school in Ndianganao which Faye later attended.[7]
He went to primary school in his village and then undertook middle and high school inM'Bour.[8] In 2000, Faye earned his baccalaureate. He successfully attained a master's degree in law in Dakar'sCheikh Anta Diop University and subsequently cleared both competitive exams, enrolling at the National School of Administration of Senegal (ENA) and the magistracy in 2004. After graduation, Faye opted to become a tax official in the Tax and Estates department, where he befriendedOusmane Sonko, a fellow alumni from the same school.[2] In 2014, Faye and Sonko's relationship grew closer in the Taxes and Estates Union, created by Sonko, the leader of the newly founded political partyPASTEF. During his time at the head of the union, Faye campaigned to facilitate homeownership for tax and property agents.[9]
Initially a guest when PASTEF was founded, Faye swiftly ascended to become one of the most prominent figures within the party.[2] He would go on to become one of the ideologues and designers of Sonko's program for his candidacy in the2019 Senegalese presidential election. Sonko gained almost 16% of the vote and came third.[9] In February 2021, Faye became the general secretary of PASTEF after Sonko was arrested, being accused of repeated rape by a massage parlor employee. As part of its strategy to win power, Faye attempted to unite the opposition for the 2022 elections, winning 56 seats under the allianceLiberate the People.[9] At the same time, Faye ran unsuccessfully to become mayor of Ndianganao.[10]
On 14 April 2023, Faye was apprehended as he exited his tax and property office on Rue de Thiong in Dakar. Subsequently, he was placed under police custody for charges including "spreading false news, contempt of court, and defamation of a constituted body" following a social media post he made. In this post, he denounced the perceived injustice within the judicial system, foreseeing a verdict that could potentially disqualify Sonko in a legal dispute between PASTEF and the Minister of Tourism,Mame Mbaye Niang [fr]. As the situation progressed, additional charges of "incitement to insurrection" and "undermining state security" were brought against him, resulting in an indefinite period of detention.[9]
After an attempt by incumbent presidentMacky Sall in February 2024 to postpone the elections, citing unresolved disputes over who could run, widespread protests erupted and the Constitutional Council of Senegal overturned the postponement.[11] In response to the protests and overturning, Sall said that he would leave office as scheduled on 2 April, setting the election date on 24 March.[12] He also expressed his willingness to release Sonko, Faye and all their supporters as an act of good faith.[13] At the end of February, the government tabled an amnesty bill to calm the social and political unrest.[14] Several hundred political prisoners were released by the government,[15] and on 14 March, days before the election, Sonko and Faye were both released from prison.[16]
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After uncertainty over the possibility of Sonko being a candidate in the presidential election,PASTEF endorsed Faye in November 2023 as its candidate for the2024 presidential election, despite him being detained. However, PASTEF had been banned several months earlier, meaning he was running as an independent.[17] On 20 January 2024, the Senegalese Constitutional Council published the final list of candidates for the presidential election and Sonko did not appear there after several legal battles. Faye's candidacy was validated because he was never convicted although remaining detained. Sonko quickly announced his support to Faye for the election.[18]
On 15 March 2024, a day after Faye's release from jail, he gathered hundreds of supporters at his first public appearance as a presidential contender.[19] Former presidentAbdoulaye Wade and hisSenegalese Democratic Party (PDS) endorsed Faye on the same day, in a boost to his chances of winning election. The move came after PDS candidateKarim Wade was disqualified from contesting the race because he was a dual citizen at the time he submitted his candidacy.[20] Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, another candidate in the presidential election, withdrew in favor of Faye.[21]
During the presidential campaign, he promised to create jobs, campaigned strongly against corruption, and vowed to reexamine energy contracts.[22] He ran under the slogan "Diomaye mooy Sonko", which means "Diomaye is Sonko" inWolof, and expressed hope that Sonko's charisma and popular appeal among Senegal's youth would boost his campaign.[23] Faye's program was similar with Sonko's for 2019.[9] During the campaign, Faye released a declaration of his assets and called on other candidates to follow suit.[24]
Faye was elected president after an election campaign that was marred by an attempt by the government to postpone the election, which was ultimately held on 24 March. Faye received over 54% of the vote,[25] making him the first opposition candidate to have won an election in the first round since Senegal's independence in 1960.[26]
Faye was formally inaugurated as president on 2 April. In his inaugural address, he pledged to fight corruption and reform the economy.[27] His first official act was to appoint Sonko asPrime Minister of Senegal,[28] who formally presented his government on 5 April.[29]
On 3 April, Faye ordered an audit of the mining, oil, and gas sector, but insisted that investors were "welcome in Senegal."[30]
On 25 April, Faye made his first foreign visit as President toMauritania, where he met with PresidentMohamed Ould Ghazouani inNouakchott.[31] On 25 May he met withGuinea's military leaderMamady Doumbouya during his visit to the latter country. On 30 May, he met withAssimi Goita, the leader of the ruling junta ofMali during a visit toBamako. Faye had previously expressed his intention to bring back Mali, as well as the military-ruled states ofBurkina Faso andNiger toECOWAS.[32]
On 12 September, Faye dissolved theNational Assembly and orderedsnap elections for the chamber on 17 November. He had previously been in conflict with the legislature and accused the latter of blocking his proposed reforms and budget.[33] PASTEF won the elections by a landslide.[34]
Faye was invited to the White House for a meeting between PresidentDonald Trump and various African leaders in July 2025. During the meeting, Faye praised Trump for his ability at solving crises and his golf skills, and reassured American investors of Senegal's political stability.[35]
Faye says he believes in system change and left-wingpan-Africanism to reclaim Senegal's sovereignty, which some analysts believe is an allusion to intentions to distance the country away from Western powers, especially from the formerFrench colonial empire.[23] He also vowed to fight "French economic stranglehold" over Senegal if elected.[9]
Faye has promised to reduce presidential powers and reintroduce the vice presidency.[36]
Faye has claimed to prioritise fighting political corruption if he is elected president, saying: "No country can develop when corruption andembezzlement of public funds are endemic."[22]
Faye intends to stop the circulation of theCFA franc in Senegal, remove it as its official currency, and create a new national currency. His program states: "We will carry out a monetary reform that will allow our country to have its own currency."[2] In a press conference, he added: "There's no sovereignty if there is no monetary sovereignty."[37] After concern from foreign investors, in March 2023 he said that "Senegal will seek to implement a reform of the CFA franc at a regional level first and if that fails, will consider creating a national currency."[37]
Faye believes in the renegotiation of contracts between the government and corporations in sectors ranging from energy to mining and fishing. He has also pledged to equally distribute profits out of a gas field that is expected to start production in 2024.[36]
Faye wants to keep Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso in ECOWAS, all while recognizing theAlliance of Sahel States, in response to the security context in the said countries.[38]
Faye aims to enhance the reputation and integrity of the defense and security forces through a concerted effort to combat corruption and inefficiency. This initiative seeks to ensure the optimal use of resources by implementing programs aimed at boosting the morale, motivation, and oversight of officers. Additionally, there's a commitment to raise the salaries of lower-ranking personnel. His program pledges to uphold the core identity of theArmed Forces of Senegal by advocating for a return to military principles, preventing their involvement in political affairs. Furthermore, the plan includes bolstering the air capabilities of the army through the procurement of strategic transport aircraft, such as theC-130, to fulfill external commitments effectively.[2]
Faye believes in theseparation of powers, so that there should be no ties between the executive and thejudiciary. His plan involves transitioning from the Senegalese Constitutional Council to aconstitutional court, positioning it as the apex of the judicial structure. Additionally, in a bid to enhance accountability and fortify oversight mechanisms, he proposes abolishing political funds and substituting them with special funds allocated by theNational Assembly for critical operations, such as arms procurement and clandestine missions. Furthermore, legislation will be introduced to safeguardwhistleblowers, aligning with the principles outlined in the law on transparency in finance management in thepublic sector.[2]
Faye has pledged to have indigenous languages of Senegal used as the primary language of instruction in schools. Since becoming president, he has had his official speeches delivered inWolof and French.[39]
Faye is in favor of renaming certain roadways bearing names from the French colonial era in honor of "national heroes".[40]
Under Faye's presidency, a new peace agreement was reached inBissau on 25 February 2025 with theMovement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) to end theCasamance conflict following talks hosted and mediated byGuinea-Bissau.[41] Similar to a previous deal by Sall's government in 2022, the agreement was signed between the Senegalese government and the MFDC's Badiatte faction, with latter again agreeing to disarm.[42] In contrast, the MFDC's Sadio faction did not agree to the deal.[43]
Faye ispolygamous and has two wives:Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye.[44] Marie Khone is a close relative of her husband, and together they have had four children: three boys and one girl. He has a child (a girl) with Absa.[45] Faye married Marie in 2009 and Absa in 2023.[46] He has named one of his sons afterOusmane Sonko, in honor of their close friendship.[9] He also has a sister.[10]
According to his declaration of assets that he released during his presidential campaign in 2024, Faye possesses a house inDakar, as well as land outside the capital and in Ndiaganiao.[6][24]
Senegal:
Grand Master (and Grand Cross) of theNational Order of the Lion_-_ribbon_bar.png)
Grand Master (and Grand Cross) of theNational Order of Merit
Guinea Bissau:
Recipient of the Medal of Amílcar Cabral (27 May 2025)[47]
Media related toBassirou Diomaye Faye at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related toBassirou Diomaye Faye at Wikiquote| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | President of Senegal 2024–present | Incumbent |
