Lawmakers in Senegal's parliament exchanged blows and a hurled chair on Thursday while one slapped a female MP in the face as issues became heated in the assembly.

The scuffles occurred amid growing acrimony between ruling and opposition party politicians.

A male opposition lawmaker hit a female colleague in the face, television footage showed, which sparked a brawl.

Budget presentation

The unseemly scenes occurred during a vote on the justice ministry's budget for next year.

In the midst of the budget presentation, opposition MP Massata Samb struck Amy Ndiaye Gniby of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) coalition.

Gniby hit back, throwing a chair back in Samb's direction before another lawmaker hauled her to the floor.

The session was eventually suspended as MPs continued to trade blows and launch insults.

Attack comes amid violence against women campaign

Feminists and members of the governing coalition expressed indignation over the physical attack on Ndiaye, which coincided with an awareness campaign about violence against women and girls.

Tensions have grown recently between ruling and opposition politicians. A July legislative election saw the ruling party lose its comfortable majority, damaged partly by fears that President Macky Sall will seek a third term in 2024.

jsi/jcg (AFP, Reuters)