Senegal's President Faye launches a new party over deepening split with former ally Sonko

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has launched his own political party, marking a split with former ally Ousmane SonkoByMARK BANCHEREAU Associated PressDAKAR, Senegal -- DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal 's president formally launched his own political party Saturday, cementing his rupture with former ally Ousmane Sonko, the head of the ruling Pastef party, and setting up a power struggle during a major debt crisis.The creation of Bassirou Diomaye Faye 's Republican Patriots party makes official a split that had been building for months between the two men. They rose to power together in 2024 under the Pastef banner, an acronym for its French name, Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité.In the weeks leading up to the launch, a growing number of Pastef officials resigned from the party to join Faye’s camp, including several regional leaders and members of its youth wing. Several members of the opposition party Alliance for The Republic have also joined Faye’s movement.Faye and Sonko's alliance, forged ahead of the 2024 presidential election, unraveled amid disputes over key policy decisions, including how to approach negotiations with the Inte...