On May 22, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko delivered a forceful defense of his government’s policies during a heated parliamentary session at the National Assembly. This marked his fifth turn answering lawmakers’ questions since the PASTEF-led administration took office.
When pressed about the recent legislation that toughens prison sentences for same-sex relations—following over a hundred arrests in three months and a public plea from African intellectuals on May 18 to stall the law—Senko made it clear the government would not back down. He stressed the need to put an end to “the spread of homosexuality” and demanded the judiciary enforce the law “fully, impartially, and rigorously,” adding that no one, regardless of status, would be spared from prosecution.
Addressing the international outcry over the law, Sonko dismissed Western criticism, singling out France in particular. He accused certain countries of engaging in “empty posturing” and condemned what he called the “tyranny of the West,” alleging that these nations seek to impose homosexuality globally through control of the media.
With unwavering resolve, he declared, “If they choose these practices, that is their concern—but we will not accept any lectures from them, not at all.” He even went further, warning that the law could be made even stricter if necessary, stating, “If the law requires reinforcement, it will be strengthened.”
