Most Americans support cutting off aid to Uganda to protest the new anti-gay laws in the country
On February 24th the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, signed into law an act that would institute lengthy prison sentences (up to life in prison) for people found guilty of homosexuality. The law has faced widespread criticism from around the world, but is popular within Uganda itself.
The criticism from Western countries has been particularly intense, with a number of European countries cutting off aid to the Ugandan government and US Secretary of State John Kerry comparing the law to Apartheid and anti-Jewish laws in Nazi Germany. Uganda is particularly sensitive to threats to cut off aid, as 20% of Uganda's government budget is made up of foreign aid donations.
The latest research from YouGov shows that most Americans (62%) think that the US should cut aid to Uganda to protest the law, while 21% think that the US should maintain aid to the Ugandan government despite the law.
Asked whether people support or oppose the new Ugandan laws, an overwhelming majority of Americans (76%) oppose the laws, while only 13% support them. Nevertheless, support for the strict anti-homosexuality laws is high among the 21% of Americans who think that homosexual relationships should not get any legal recognition. Out of this group, 40% support the Ugandan law while 50% oppose it.
