Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has intensified his rhetoric regarding LGBT issues, denouncing what he describes as Western attempts to impose specific values on the global stage. This firm stance comes at a time when Sénégal is already experiencing a period of heightened tension and several arrests related to alleged same-sex conduct.

In early March, Sénégal updated its legal framework to significantly increase the consequences for same-sex relations. The new legislation doubles the previous penalties, with offenders now facing between five and ten years of incarceration. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially signed the law into effect on March 31.

Dismissal of international pressure

Addressing lawmakers, Ousmane Sonko made it clear that he would not entertain external disapproval, specifically pointing toward France. He also firmly rejected any possibility of a delay in the law’s implementation. This decision ignores a mid-May appeal from around thirty African intellectuals and public figures who warned of a growing environment of fear and hostility following the legislative vote.

“Ending the expansion of homosexuality”

The head of government has instead instructed the judiciary to ensure the law is enforced with absolute rigor. He emphasized that the primary goal is to halt what he terms the “proliferation” of these practices within the country.

While this approach is gaining significant political traction across Sénégal, it is also raising serious alarms. By further criminalizing private, consensual acts between adults, the government may be fostering an environment where stigmatization, vigilante reporting, and physical violence become more common. Beyond the clash with Western perspectives, the fundamental issues of human dignity and protection against hatred remain central to this developing situation.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst