Who is Diomaye Faye? Opposition Leader Who Won Senegalese Election

The election body has not yet released details of the election results as vote counting is ongoing. Official results are expected to be announced in the coming days. However, the results released so far have shown Faye getting more than 50 percent of the vote – so there is no need for a second round.

His supporters celebrated on the streets of the capital, Dakar, amid hopes that the new government can tackle persistent poverty and corruption.

The candidate of the outgoing governing coalition, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, on Monday conceded defeat to Faye hours after saying he was ready for a runoff election. Incumbent President Macky Sall also congratulated Faye on her win.

Who is Diomaye Faye? Opposition Leader Who Won Senegalese Election

1. Politicians who have been imprisoned

Photo/Reuters

Faye has been thrust into the center of Senegalese politics more than a week after she was released from prison along with her mentor Ousmane Sonko, who was disqualified from voting over defamation charges.

The 44-year-old leader is contesting the election as an independent candidate due to the disbandment of the Patriots of Senegal (PASTEF) party last July for causing unrest. The PASTEF party, which Sonko founded in 2014, supports Faye.

The left-wing populist group has organized protests against President Macky Sall accusing his government of corruption and failing to tackle chronic poverty. Sall’s decision to extend elections originally scheduled for February sparked the latest round of political crisis.

The election was held after the intervention of the Constitutional Court.

Faye was born in 1980 in Ndiaganiao, west-central Senegal. He met Sonko while working as a tax inspector in the government’s tax and estates department, where they were instrumental in the formation of the union.

2. Went to Jail because he was accused of spreading hoaxes

Photo/Reuters

In April 2023, Faye was arrested on charges including spreading false news, contempt of court and defamation of an entity, due to social media posts.