On May 22, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko vigorously defended his government’s stance before lawmakers during the fifth session of urgent parliamentary questions since his administration took office.
Addressing concerns about the recently enacted legislation that toughens prison sentences for same-sex relationships—following over a hundred arrests in three months and an appeal from African intellectuals published on May 18—Sonko firmly ruled out any suspension of the law.
Emphasizing the need to curb “the spread of homosexuality,” he called for the judiciary to apply the law with “complete, impartial, and flawless” rigor. Sonko made it clear that no individual, regardless of status, would be exempt from scrutiny, alluding to recent high-profile detentions within his inner circle.
In response to mounting international backlash against the new law, the Prime Minister dismissed Western reproaches outright, singling out France with a pointed remark. Accusing certain foreign capitals of engaging in “theatrical posturing,” particularly in Paris, he condemned what he described as a “tyranny of the West” attempting to coerce African nations into accepting homosexuality through media control.
With unwavering conviction, Sonko declared: “If they have chosen such practices, that is their concern, but we certainly do not need—or want—their lectures.” He went further, warning that if the law requires further tightening, his government would not hesitate to do so.
