In a desire for political renewal, several young civil servants from the Senegalese public administration and from other backgrounds, united in a committee to create PASTEF in January 2014.

Two years after the first participation in the elections, the party embarked on the presidential campaign, in which the President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall is a candidate for his own succession.

In September 2021 Ousmane Sonko formalized the creation of a new opposition alliance, Liberate the People, that included other political formations such as the Party for Unity and Rally and Manko Taxawu Sénégal.

[16] On 28 July 2023, Sonko was arrested on charges of encouraging an insurrection, undermining state security, creating political unrest, and criminal association.

[17][18] On 31 July, the interior minister of Senegal announced the dissolution of PASTEF for rallying its supporters during violent protests in June 2023 and March 2021.