Mr Sonko was elected president of the National Assembly with 132 of the 133 votes cast.

DAKAR, May 26 - Senegal's parliament elected Ousmane Sonko as its speaker on Tuesday, days after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye fired him as prime minister amid a deepening rift over the government's reform agenda and how to resolve a worsening debt crisis. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

After months of tensions, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Friday dissolved the government and sacked Sonko - his one-time mentor in their Pastef party.

The speaker of Senegal's parliament said Sunday he was resigning, two days after his close ally was fired as prime minister, deepening a political crisis in the debt-laden West African country.

Senegal’s National Assembly has elected ousted Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko as parliament speaker and defied President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who fired him days earlier.

Ousmane Sonko has been elected president of Senegal’s National Assembly, marking another major shift in the country’s political landscape.

Senegal’s political crisis escalated as President Bassirou Diomaye Faye replaced Ousmane Sonko with economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister, intensifying a rift at the top of the state while parliament prepares a tense vote on Sonko’s reinstatement as lawmaker.