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 15 October 2022 – 3 April 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 (since 2014) |
| Spouses |
Marie Khone Faye
(m. 2009)Absa Faye
(m. 2023) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | National School of Administration, Dakar Cheikh Anta Diop University |
| Occupation |
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Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye (born 25 March 1980) is a Senegalese politician. He used to work as a tax official. Since April 2024, he has been the fifth president of Senegal. Before becoming president, he was the general secretary of a political party called PASTEF. He won the 2024 Senegalese presidential election after another candidate, Ousmane Sonko, was not allowed to run. Later, President Faye chose Ousmane Sonko to be the prime minister.
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Early Life and Background
Bassirou Diomaye Faye was born on 25 March 1980. His birthplace was Ndiaganiao, a town 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 village and 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 about helping people and making society fair. Faye's grandfather fought for France in World War I. He was later put in jail for trying to build a high school in Ndianganao. Faye later attended that same school.
Education and Early Career
Faye went to primary school in his village. He then continued his middle and high school education 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. These exams allowed him to join the National School of Administration of Senegal (ENA). After graduating, Faye decided to work as a tax official. He worked in the Tax and Estates department. There, he became good friends with Ousmane Sonko. Sonko had also studied at the same school. In 2014, their friendship grew stronger. They worked together in the Taxes and Estates Union. Sonko had created this union, and he was also the leader of the new political party, PASTEF. While leading the union, Faye worked to help tax and property agents buy their own homes.
Political Journey
Faye was one of the first people to join PASTEF when it started. He quickly 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 finished third.
In February 2021, Faye became the general secretary of PASTEF. This happened after Sonko was arrested. As part of its plan to gain power, PASTEF tried to bring different opposition groups together. They formed an alliance called Liberate the People for the 2022 elections. This alliance won 56 seats in the parliament. At the same time, Faye tried to become the mayor of Ndianganao, but he was not successful.
Time in Prison
On 14 April 2023, Faye was arrested in Dakar. He was held by the police for charges like "spreading false news." These charges came after he posted something on social media. In his post, he talked about problems he saw in the justice system. He also mentioned a legal case involving PASTEF. Later, more charges were added against him. These included "inciting rebellion" and "harming state security." He was then kept in prison for an unknown period.
In February 2024, the president at the time, Macky Sall, tried to delay the elections. He said there were disagreements about who could run. This led to many protests across the country. Senegal's Constitutional Council then said the delay was not allowed. Because of the protests and the court's decision, President Sall said he would leave office on 2 April as planned. He also set the election date for 24 March. He said he would release Sonko, Faye, and their supporters. This was meant to show good faith. At the end of February, the government proposed a law to forgive certain actions. This was done to calm the social and political problems. Many political prisoners were released. On 14 March, just days before the election, Sonko and Faye were both released from prison.
Presidential Campaign
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There was some doubt about whether Sonko could run for president. So, in November 2023, PASTEF chose Faye as its candidate for the 2024 Senegalese presidential election. This happened even though he was still in prison. However, PASTEF had been banned a few months earlier. This meant 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 after several legal challenges. But Faye's candidacy was approved because he had never been found guilty of a crime, even though he was still in prison. Sonko quickly announced that he supported Faye for the election.
On 15 March 2024, the day after Faye was released from jail, he held his first public event. Hundreds of supporters came to see him. The same day, former president Abdoulaye Wade and his party, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), supported Faye. This helped Faye's chances of winning. This happened after the PDS candidate, Karim Wade, was not allowed to run. He had dual citizenship when he submitted his application. Another candidate, Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, also stepped down and supported Faye.
During his campaign, Faye promised to create jobs. He spoke strongly against corruption. He also said he would look again at energy contracts. His campaign slogan was "Diomaye mooy Sonko," which means "Diomaye is Sonko" in the Wolof language. He hoped that Sonko's popularity, especially among young people, would help his campaign. Faye's plans were similar to Sonko's plans from 2019. During the campaign, Faye shared a list of his own assets. He asked other candidates to do the same.
Faye was elected president after an election campaign that faced challenges. The government tried to delay the election, but it was finally held on 24 March. Faye received over 54% of the votes. This made him 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 2024. In his first speech as president, he promised to fight corruption. He also said he would improve the economy. His first official action was to appoint Sonko as Prime Minister of Senegal. Sonko then officially presented his government on 5 April.
On 3 April, Faye ordered a review of the mining, oil, and gas industries. However, he made it clear that investors were "welcome in Senegal."
On 25 April, Faye made his first trip outside Senegal as president. He visited Mauritania and met with President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in Nouakchott. On 25 May, he met with Guinea's leader, Mamady Doumbouya, during a visit to Guinea. On 30 May, he met with Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali, during a visit to Bamako. Faye had previously said he wanted to bring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger back into ECOWAS.
On 12 September, Faye ended the term of the National Assembly. He ordered new elections for the parliament on 17 November. He had disagreed with the parliament before. He said they were blocking his plans for reforms and the national budget. PASTEF won the new elections by a large margin.
In July 2025, Faye was invited to the White House. He met with President Donald Trump and other African leaders. During the meeting, Faye praised Trump for his ability to solve problems. He also spoke about Trump's golf skills. Faye assured American investors that Senegal was politically stable.
Political Ideas
Faye believes in changing the system and in pan-Africanism. This means he wants African countries to work together and be truly independent. Some people think this means he wants Senegal to be less influenced by Western countries, especially France. He also promised to fight against "French economic control" over Senegal if he became president.
Government Changes
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 embezzlement of public funds are common."
Currency
Faye wants Senegal to stop using the CFA franc as its official currency. He plans to create a new national currency for Senegal. His program states: "We will make a money change that will allow our country to have its own currency." He also said, "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, he would consider creating a national currency.
Energy and Resources
Faye believes that contracts between the government and companies should be looked at again. This includes contracts in energy, mining, and fishing. He has also promised to share the profits fairly from a gas field that started producing in 2024.
ECOWAS
Faye wants to keep Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso as part of ECOWAS. He also recognizes the Alliance of Sahel States. This is his response to the security situation in those countries.
Military
Faye wants to improve the reputation of Senegal's defense and security forces. He plans to do this by fighting corruption and inefficiency. This will help make sure resources are used well. He also wants to boost the spirits and motivation of officers. Additionally, he plans to increase the salaries of lower-ranking soldiers. His plan promises to keep the Armed Forces of Senegal focused on military duties. This means preventing them from getting involved in politics. The plan also includes buying more transport aircraft, like the C-130. This will help the army carry out its duties outside the country.
Justice System
Faye believes in the separation of powers. This means the government's executive branch should not control the judiciary (courts). His plan involves changing the Senegalese Constitutional Council into a constitutional court. This court would be the highest court in the justice system. To make sure people are held accountable, he also suggests getting rid of political funds. Instead, special funds would be given by the National Assembly for important operations. These include buying weapons and secret missions. Also, new laws will protect whistleblowers. These are people who report wrongdoing. This aligns with laws about being open with public money.
Language
Faye has promised that local languages of Senegal will be the main languages used in schools. Since becoming president, his official speeches have been given in both Wolof and French.
Decolonization Efforts
Faye supports changing the names of some roads that were named during the French colonial period. He wants to rename them after "national heroes."
Casamance Conflict
Under Faye's presidency, a new peace agreement was reached in Bissau on 25 February 2025. This agreement was with the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC). It aimed to end the Casamance conflict. The talks were held and helped by Guinea-Bissau. This agreement was similar to a deal made by Sall's government in 2022. It was signed between the Senegalese government and the Badiatte group of the MFDC. This group agreed to give up their weapons again. However, the Sadio group of the MFDC did not agree to the deal.
Personal Life
Faye has two wives: Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye. Marie Khone is a close relative of her husband. They have four children together: three boys and one girl. He has one child, a girl, with Absa. Faye married Marie in 2009 and Absa in 2023. He named one of his sons after Ousmane Sonko. This was to honor their close friendship. He also has a sister.
In 2024, during his presidential campaign, Faye shared a list of his assets. This showed that he owns a house in Dakar. He also owns land outside the capital city and in Ndiaganiao.
See also
In Spanish: Bassirou Diomaye Faye para niños
