The Prime Minister of Senegal, Ousmane Sonko, has condemned what he describes as a Western “tyranny” attempting to “impose homosexuality on the world.” During a parliamentary address, he firmly rejected any moratorium on the enforcement of the newly passed law that doubles the penalties for same-sex relationships. These now range from five to ten years in prison, following its enactment by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on March 31. The law arrives amid escalating homophobia in the country and a series of arrests for alleged homosexuality.

“There is a form of tyranny at play,” Sonko declared. “We are eight billion people on Earth, yet a small group—Western nations—where the debate isn’t settled, wield their economic and media influence to impose their views on the rest of the world. On what grounds?” He went on to criticize the backlash Senegal has faced, particularly from France, stating, “If they have chosen such practices, that’s their concern. We will not accept lessons from them—absolutely not.”

No moratorium will be granted

Rejecting Western pressure to reconsider the law, Sonko asserted, “If the West seeks to dictate its will, no Asian, African, or Arab nation has criticized us. Should the law require further strengthening, it will be.” He called on the judiciary to ensure “total, impartial, and flawless” enforcement, emphasizing that the law’s primary goal is “to curb the spread of homosexuality” in Senegal.

The Prime Minister also dismissed calls for a moratorium on the law’s application, following a mid-May op-ed in a French newspaper by a collective of thirty African figures advocating for such a halt. They cited what they described as a climate of fear, hatred, and violence gripping the country since the law’s passage. “There will be no moratorium,” Sonko responded. “Some of our elites suffer from an inferiority complex.”

Same-sex relationships remain socially condemned in Senegal, and the government’s tougher stance on this issue has long been a politically charged promise in the country.