He is the general secretary of PASTEF, who won the 2024 Senegalese presidential election in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko, whom he later appointed as prime minister.

[3][4] Having had a traditional village upbringing, he has always claimed his rural origins, and "imbued himself with educational and social values typical of his land, Ndiaganiao, in Serer country".

[5][6] His father, Samba Faye, a long-time member of the Socialist Party of Senegal, is quoted with saying that his son grew up with left-wing ideals.

His grandfather fought for France during World War I as a Senegalese Tirailleur, and later was jailed following a dispute with French colonial authorities over his efforts to establish a district high school in Ndianganao which Faye later attended.

He successfully attained a master's degree in law in Dakar's Cheikh Anta Diop University and subsequently cleared both competitive exams, enrolling at the National School of Administration of Senegal (ENA) and the magistracy in 2004.

[9] In February 2021, Faye became the general secretary of PASTEF after Sonko was arrested, being accused of repeated rape by a massage parlor employee.

Subsequently, he was placed under police custody for charges including "spreading false news, contempt of court, and defamation of a constituted body" following a social media post he made.

In this post, he denounced the perceived injustice within the judicial system, foreseeing a verdict that could potentially disqualify Sonko in a legal dispute between PASTEF and the Minister of Tourism, Mame Mbaye Niang [fr].

As the situation progressed, additional charges of "incitement to insurrection" and "undermining state security" were brought against him, resulting in an indefinite period of detention.

[17] On 20 January 2024, the Senegalese Constitutional Council published the final list of candidates for the presidential election and Sonko did not appear there after several legal battles.

[19] Former president Abdoulaye Wade and his Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) endorsed Faye on the same day, in a boost to his chances of winning election.

Faye had previously expressed his intention to bring back Mali, as well as the military-ruled states of Burkina Faso and Niger to ECOWAS.

"[36] After concern from foreign investors, in March 2023 he said that "Senegal will seek to implement a reform of the CFA franc at a regional level first and if that fails, will consider creating a national currency.

[37] Faye aims to enhance the reputation and integrity of the defense and security forces through a concerted effort to combat corruption and inefficiency.

This initiative seeks to ensure the optimal use of resources by implementing programs aimed at boosting the morale, motivation, and oversight of officers.

His program pledges to uphold the core identity of the Armed Forces of Senegal by advocating for a return to military principles, preventing their involvement in political affairs.

Furthermore, the plan includes bolstering the air capabilities of the army through the procurement of strategic transport aircraft, such as the C-130, to fulfill external commitments effectively.