Senegal’s parliament elected Ousmane Sonko as its speaker on Tuesday, days after President Bassirou ‌Diomaye Faye fired him as prime minister amid a deepening rift over the government’s reform agenda and how to resolve a worsening debt crisis. Political analysts said the speaker position could give the former premier, who was ousted on Friday, a platform to challenge Faye, though ​Sonko moved to downplay that prospect. “We are not here to fight against the president of the ​republic, but the assembly will fully play its role,” Sonko told lawmakers as he accepted ⁠the new post. International investors are likely to price in a higher risk of Senegal defaulting on its debt ​following Sonko’s removal as prime minister, investment bank Morgan Stanley warned on Tuesday, as the country’s bonds fell sharply.

Full report : Senegal’s ousted prime minister Sonko elected parliament speaker.