Bassirou Diomaye Faye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bassirou Diomaye Faye
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Faye in 2024
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| 5th President of Senegal | |
| Assumed office 2 April 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Sidiki Kaba Ousmane Sonko |
| Preceded by | Macky Sall |
| General Secretary of PASTEF | |
| In office October 15 2022 – April 3 2024 |
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| Leader | Ousmane Sonko |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ayib Daffé |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 March 1980 Ndiaganiao, Senegal |
| Political party | PASTEF (2014–present) |
| Spouses |
Marie Khone Faye
(m. 2009)Absa Faye
(m. 2023) |
| Children | 4 |
| 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), often called Diomaye, is a Senegalese politician. He used to work as a tax official. Since 2024, he has been the fifth and current president of Senegal.
He is the general secretary of a political party called PASTEF. He won the 2024 Senegalese presidential election when Ousmane Sonko, another leader from his party, could not run. After winning, Faye chose Sonko to be the prime minister.
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Early Life and Background
Faye was born on 25 March 1980 in a place called Ndiaganiao, in western Senegal. He belongs to the Serer ethnic group. His middle name, "Diomaye," means "honourable" in the Serer language.
He grew up in a traditional village and always remembers his rural roots. He learned important values from his home area. His father, Samba Faye, was a member of the Socialist Party of Senegal. He said that his son grew up with ideas that supported social equality. Faye's grandfather fought for France in World War I. Later, he was put in jail because he wanted to build a high school in Ndiaganiao, which Faye later attended.
Education and First Jobs
Faye went to primary school in his village. Then he attended middle and high school in M'Bour. In 2000, he finished high school. He earned a master's degree in law from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar.
In 2004, he passed two difficult exams. He joined the National School of Administration of Senegal (ENA) and also studied to become a judge. After graduating, Faye decided to work as a tax inspector. This job involved checking taxes and property. There, he became good friends with Ousmane Sonko, who had studied at the same school.
In 2014, Faye and Sonko became even closer friends. Sonko started a new political party called PASTEF and also created the Taxes and Estates Union. Faye became a leader in this union. He worked to help tax and property agents buy their own homes.
Political Journey
When PASTEF was first created, Faye was a supporter. Soon, he became one of the most important people in the party. He helped create the ideas and plans for Sonko's campaign in the 2019 Senegalese presidential election. In that election, Sonko received almost 16% of the votes and came in third place.
Faye worked to bring different opposition groups together for the 2022 elections. This effort led to the "Liberate the People" alliance, which won 56 seats in the parliament. At the same time, Faye tried to become the mayor of Ndiaganiao, but he did not win.
Time in Custody and Release
On 14 April 2023, Faye was taken into custody after leaving his office in Dakar. This happened after he made a social media post. In his post, he talked about problems he saw in the justice system. He was held for a period of time.
In February 2024, the president at the time, Macky Sall, tried to delay the elections. This caused many protests across the country. Senegal's highest court, the Constitutional Council, said the elections could not be postponed. President Sall then announced he would leave office as planned on 2 April and set the election for 24 March. He also said he would release Sonko, Faye, and their supporters.
At the end of February, the government passed a law to help calm the situation. Many political prisoners were released. On 14 March, just days before the election, both Sonko and Faye were set free from custody.
Running for President
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There was some doubt if Ousmane Sonko could run for president. So, in November 2023, the PASTEF party chose Faye as their candidate for the 2024 presidential election. He was still in custody at the time. PASTEF had been banned a few months earlier, so Faye ran as an independent candidate.
On 20 January 2024, the Senegalese Constitutional Council announced the final list of candidates. Sonko was not on the list. However, Faye's candidacy was approved because he had not been found guilty of any crimes. Sonko quickly announced that he supported Faye for the election.
On 15 March 2024, the day after his release, Faye met with hundreds of supporters. Former president Abdoulaye Wade and his party also supported Faye. This helped Faye's chances of winning. Another candidate, Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, also stepped aside to support Faye.
During his campaign, Faye promised to create jobs and fight against corruption. He also said he would look at energy contracts again. His campaign slogan was "Diomaye mooy Sonko", which means "Diomaye is Sonko" in the Wolof. He hoped Sonko's popularity would help his campaign. Faye's plans were similar to Sonko's plans from 2019. During the campaign, Faye shared details about his own money and property and asked other candidates to do the same.
Faye was elected president after an election that faced attempts to be postponed. The election was finally held on 24 March. Faye won with over 54% of the votes. He became the first opposition candidate to win an election in the first round since Senegal became independent in 1960.
Presidency (2024–present)
Faye officially became president on 2 April. In his first speech, he promised to fight corruption and improve the economy. His first official action was to appoint Sonko as Prime Minister of Senegal. Sonko then presented his government on 5 April.
On 3 April, Faye ordered a review of the mining, oil, and gas industries. He also said that investors were welcome in Senegal.
Faye made his first trip as president to Mauritania on 25 April. He met with President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. On 25 May, he met with Guinea's leader, Mamady Doumbouya. On 30 May, he met with Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali. Faye has said he wants Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to rejoin ECOWAS, a group of West African countries.
On 12 September, Faye ended the term of the National Assembly (Senegal's parliament). He called for new elections for the parliament on 17 November. He had disagreed with the parliament, saying they were blocking his plans for reforms and the budget. PASTEF won the new elections by a large margin.
Political Ideas
Faye believes in changing the system and supports pan-Africanism. This means he wants African countries to be more independent and work together. Some people think this means he wants Senegal to be less influenced by Western countries, especially France. He has also promised to fight against "French economic control" over Senegal.
Changes to the Constitution
Faye has promised to reduce the president's powers. He also wants to bring back the position of vice president.
Fighting Corruption
Faye has said that fighting political corruption is a top priority. He believes that "No country can develop when corruption and the misuse of public money are common."
Currency
Faye wants Senegal to stop using the CFA franc as its official currency. He wants to create a new national currency for Senegal. He said, "We will make a money reform that will allow our country to have its own currency." He added, "There's no independence if there is no money independence." After some concerns from foreign investors, he said in March 2023 that Senegal would first try to change the CFA franc at a regional level. If that doesn't work, they would consider creating a national currency.
Energy
Faye believes that contracts between the government and companies in areas like energy, mining, and fishing should be looked at again. He also promised to share the profits from a gas field, which is expected to start producing gas in 2024, fairly among the people.
Military
Faye wants to improve the reputation of Senegal's defense and security forces. He plans to do this by fighting corruption and making things more efficient. He wants to make sure resources are used well by boosting the morale of officers. He also plans to increase the salaries of lower-ranking military personnel. His plan is to keep the military focused on its main duties and prevent it from getting involved in politics. He also wants to buy more transport aircraft, like the C-130, to help the army with its duties outside the country.
Justice System
Faye believes that the government's executive branch and the judiciary (courts) should be separate. His plan is to change the Senegalese Constitutional Council into a constitutional court, making it the highest court. He also wants to stop political funds and instead have special funds approved by the National Assembly for important operations like buying weapons. Additionally, new laws will protect whistleblowers, people who report wrongdoing.
Personal Life
Faye has two wives: Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye. Marie Khone is a relative of her husband. They have four children together: three boys and one girl. He does not have children with Absa. Faye married Marie in 2009 and Absa in 2023. He named one of his sons after Ousmane Sonko to honor their close friendship. He also has a sister.
In 2024, during his presidential campaign, Faye shared information about his property. He owns a house in Dakar, as well as land outside the capital and in Ndiaganiao.
Images for kids
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Faye in 2024
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Faye in 2020
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Faye in 2023
See also
In Spanish: Bassirou Diomaye Faye para niños
