Senegal’s President shakes up Parliament

Bassirou Faye, Senegal’s fresh-faced president, just threw a curveball at the political establishment. At 44, he’s Africa’s youngest elected leader, and he’s not wasting time making waves. Faye’s latest move? Dissolving parliament and calling for snap elections in November.

Why the drastic action? Well, Faye’s got big plans for change, but he’s hitting roadblocks with the current opposition-led parliament. He’s asking voters to give his party, PASTEF, a majority so he can push through the reforms he promised during his campaign.

Faye swept into power in March with a whopping 54% of the vote. He tapped into the frustrations of Senegal’s youth, who are fed up with the old guard and desperate for better living standards. But six months in, those campaign promises are still just that – promises.

Faye and his right-hand man, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, blame the uncooperative parliament for the hold-up. It’s a risky move, though. The clock’s ticking on passing next year’s budget, and these new elections might throw a wrench in that process.

This political shake-up comes at a crucial time for Senegal. The country’s grappling with sky-high inflation, and young people are leaving in droves, risking their lives for a shot at a better future in Europe. Faye’s betting big that this gamble will pay off and give him the power to finally deliver on his vision for change.