Inside the Palace’s Disillusionment: Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s Failed Gamble

Bassirou Diomaye Faye eventually gave Senegal’s official backing to his predecessor Macky Sall’s bid to become UN secretary-general, despite expressing reservations in May 2026. His change of position, after meeting Sall, drew criticism from Senegalese who saw it as conflicting with the new government’s pledge to break with the former regime’s practices. Sall’s withdrawal from the race, announced on October 17, 2026, was a diplomatic setback and renewed questions about the political gains Faye could have expected from his support. A Senegalese appointment might have been an international success, but the decision also exposed Faye to accusations of rapprochement with a former rival associated with twelve controversial years in power.