According to a coalition supporting the president as Africa News report says, the preparations to establish the new political party have already begun.

In a statement issued late on Friday, the coalition stated that Faye had instructed senior adviser Aminata Touré to lead a task force responsible for creating the new political party.

The move marks the sign yet of a lasting split between Faye and his former ally, Ousmane Sonko.

While Faye remains a member of the ruling Pastef party, months of mounting tension led the president to sack Sonko as prime minister in May.

Now serving as National Assembly Speaker, Sonko is driving constitutional reforms designed to alter Senegal's political system. Crucially, the changes include a rule that bars a sitting president from simultaneously leading a political party.

Parliament approved the amendments last week, but Faye bypassed signing them into law, choosing instead to send the measures to a national referendum. Authorities have not yet set a date for the vote.

The upcoming ballot is widely seen as the first major showdown of public support for both leaders as their bitter rivalry deepens.

This political fallout unfolds against the backdrop of a severe economic crisis, which was triggered after revelations exposed that the previous administration lied about public debt levels.

The power struggle also precedes the 2027 local elections. The vote will offer the first clear metric of each camp's true electoral strength.