Ouagadougou: President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has declared plans to establish a new political party aimed at uniting his supporters, following a significant meeting with 306 mayors from the Diomaye President Coalition.

According to Burkina Information Agency, this announcement was made public after a four-hour discussion held at the Presidential Palace with mayors representing all 14 regions of Senegal. The meeting focused on the president's governance and transformation project for the nation.

The coalition's statement highlighted the mayors' unwavering support for President Faye's systemic transformation agenda, emphasizing his commitment to fostering territorial equity and strengthening local authorities' roles in national development. The president expressed his goal of creating a political party to solidify the unity of his supporters.

To advance this initiative, President Faye has tasked Aminata Toure, the general supervisor of the Diomaye President Coalition, with forming a reflection committee to prepare the necessary components for the new political party. The coalition expressed gratitude towards the president for his willingness to collaborate with local territories and acknowledged the mayors' dedication to supporting Faye's five-year term.

The coalition's statement termed the meeting a "historic turning point" and reiterated its commitment to support the president in forming the new political entity, which is seen as crucial for upcoming electoral challenges. This development occurs in the context of a wider political realignment within the government, marked by tensions between President Faye and his former Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko.

The discord between Faye and Sonko intensified following a recently adopted constitutional amendment, which aims to replace the Constitutional Council with a Constitutional Court, enhance Parliament's powers, and prevent the President from concurrently leading a political party. The two leaders disagree on the next steps for the reform's implementation, with Sonko advocating for direct promulgation by the president, while Faye insists on a referendum to allow public decision-making. A timeline for this referendum has yet to be established.