Ousmane Sonko is a Senegalese politician and former prime minister (2024–26) who has served as president of Senegal’s National Assembly since May 2026. He founded the African Patriots of Senegal for Labor, Ethics and Fraternity (Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité; PASTEF) political party in 2014 and is known for his anti-corruption stance. He has previously served in Senegal’s National Assembly and as mayor of the southwestern Senegalese city of Ziguinchor.
Before entering politics Sonko worked as a tax inspector and formed a trade union for tax agents. He was barred from standing in the 2024 presidential election but supported the candidacy of his friend and colleague Bassirou Diomaye Faye. After Faye won the election and took office, he appointed Sonko as prime minister. Sonko and Faye later disagreed on various issues, including the best approach for managing the country’s financial difficulties and the leadership of a political coalition, and Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister on May 22, 2026. Sonko still had the support of PASTEF, the largest political party in the National Assembly, and he was elected president of the legislative body on May 26.