Palace Watch: President Bassirou Diomaye Faye Comes Under Pressure

Bassirou Diomaye Faye faces severe cash-flow pressures and union strikes scheduled for October 21–23, despite government calls for calm. Unions are demanding the implementation of agreements, some reached under former president Macky Sall, while analyst Ibrahima Bakhoum warns that delays are undermining social dialogue. With public debt near 130% of GDP and debt interest and fees at 1,303.9 billion CFA francs, the government has little room to meet the demands. Pastef’s threat to block the vote on the supplementary finance bill adds political pressure, and approval of an agreement with the IMF depends on that bill.