Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially launched his new political party, "Kiiraay, the Republican Patriots," on Saturday in Dakar, against the backdrop of a reshaping of Senegal's political landscape.
Speaking at the launch, the Head of State said the new party is intended to serve as a platform for unity, founded on the values of patriotism, proximity to the people, and commitment to Senegal's development.
The launch comes after Bassirou Diomaye Faye stepped down from the leadership of the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF), the majority party in the National Assembly, following his election as President of the Republic, in keeping with his pledge to separate the presidency from the leadership of a political party.
According to local media, the creation of "Kiiraay, the Republican Patriots" is the culmination of a restructuring process launched in November 2025 to establish a new political movement open to the various components of the presidential majority.
During the founding assembly, Aminata Touré, General Supervisor of the Diomaye Président coalition, announced that 437 political parties and movements had decided to merge into the new party.
The creation of "Kiiraay, the Republican Patriots" also comes amid the political split between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, now President of the National Assembly, with whom he had long campaigned within PASTEF.
The initiative also follows a decision issued earlier in July by the Constitutional Council, which declared unconstitutional the procedure that led to the adoption by the National Assembly of the constitutional amendment bill, following a referral by the President of the Republic.