Ahead of the elections throughout the European Union coming June, a new ILGA-Europe report shows a stark rise in anti-LGBTQIA+, and in particular, transphobic statements from politicians across Europe.

To be published on 29 February by ILGA-Europe, the ‘13th Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People in Europe and Central Asia‘ alarmingly reports hate speech from politicians in 32 European countries over the course of last year, 19 of them member states of the EU.

There has been a clear accumulation of hate speech against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) community from officials across Europe, much of it targeting trans people, in countries including EU member states Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. 

Scare tactics

“The vast majority of anti-trans statements instrumentalise children, using scare tactics to create opposition to trans minors’ access to healthcare and restrictions on education. This is a broader trend we see in the use of children, with politicians across Europe claiming that limiting access to information about LGBTI people prevents harm to minors”, ILGA-Europe says.

The report clearly shows that demonising from politicians, combined with attempts to introduce attendant legislation, is impacting suicide rates and mental health, especially for young LGBTI people, and leading to an escalation in violent protests outside schools and libraries, making young people unsafe. 

This fear mongering has also directly led to a further rise in attacks on LGBTI people. Of the 54 countries reporting in the Review, only six of them reported no hate crime in 2023. In the other 48 countries, much of the reported verbal and physical violence targeted trans people. Only one EU member state reported no hate crime. 

Katrin Hugendubel, Advocacy Director with ILGA-Europe: “It is in this climate that the European Parliament elections will take place next June. The public discourse is becoming more polarised and violent, particularly against trans people, and the LGBTI community has experienced the highest and most severe violence across Europe in decades.” 

“The very core values and standards upon which the EU was founded – respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law – are being called into question, and human rights, and in particular the human rights of LGBTI people, are facing a strong challenge from far-right forces. LGBTI people’s rights and humanity are increasingly being exploited to divide societies, undermine democracy, the rule of law and human rights.”

Executive Director of ILGA-Europe, Chaber: “LGBTI rights are under attack, and children are being harmed in the process. As we witness the rise of political forces that question basic fundamental rights and freedom, the elections next June will be a pivotal moment for the EU, and for LGBTI people. In light of the findings of the 2024 Annual Review, our ‘Come Out 4 Europe’ campaign will call for clear political commitments on safeguarding human rights, democracy and freedom from candidates for the European Parliament.”

Individual review 

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Uzbekistan where all reviewed.

Also reviewed where the European Union, the Council of Europe, the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. 

EU Candidates Called to Protect Democracy and LGBTI Human Rights Amid Political Hostility

Amidst a climate where political forces across Europe are attacking the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, candidates in the forthcoming European elections are being called upon to  pledge to protect and advance the human rights of LGBTQIA+ people.

ILGA-Europe launched the ‘Come out 4 Europe‘ pledge, giving candidates in the lead-up to the EU elections the opportunity to show how they will support and protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people as elected members of the European Parliament.

The ‘Come Out 4 Europe’ campaign arrives in the light of a new report from ILGA-Europe, charting a stark rise in anti-LGBTI speech across the EU member states, which has led to an escalation in violent protests outside schools and libraries, the targeting of pride marches, and a further rise in attacks against LGBTI people.

ILGA-Europe are asking candidates to stand strong amidst growing attacks on LGBTI rights, and work with LGBTI organisations and activists to counter polarisation and the scapegoating of LGBTI people in political divides. 

According to ILGA-Europe’s Advocacy Director, Katrin Hugendubel: “The public discourse is becoming more polarised and violent, and as a result the LGBTI community has experienced the highest and most severe violence across Europe in decades. The very core values and standards upon which the EU was founded – respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law – are being called into question and human rights, and in particular the human rights of LGBTI people, are facing a strong challenge from far-right forces.”

“In the last five years, we have seen political determination to advance the fundamental rights of LGBTI rights paying off across the EU, with the moves by certain member states to limit the rights of LGBTI people finally being addressed by all EU institutions, including supportive member states.”

“But at the same time, LGBTI people’s rights and humanity are increasingly being exploited to polarise society, undermine democracy, the rule of law and human rights.”

The Come Out 4 Europe pledge, which can be signed at a dedicated website, comeout.eu, will give candidates the opportunity to show how they will work to protect and advance LGBTI human rights in the coming term. 

Chaber: “The protection of the human rights of LGBTI people is deeply interconnected with democracy and the protection of human rights in our societies in general. That’s why it is of grave importance that in the next European Parliament 2024-2029, we have a strong mandate for the Parliament and the Commission to protect and advance LGBTI equality.”

“As we witness the rise of political forces that question basic fundamental rights and freedoms, it is a crucial time for the EU to hold fast to the core values upon which it was founded.”

Queer human rights

• RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2023 | These are the LGBTQIA+ friendly and LGBTQIA+ unfriendly countries in Europe.
• RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2022 | These are the LGBTQIA-friendly and LGBTQIA-unfriendly countries in Europe.
• RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2021 | These are the LGBTQI-friendly and LGBTQI-unfriendly countries in Europe.
• RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2020 | These are the LGBT-friendly and LGBT-unfriendly countries in Europe.
• Pride movement in Europe expecting increased hostility.
• Europeans more accepting of LGBTQIA+ people than their political leaders.
• Grindr Unwrapped: Belgium and the Netherlands are lands of leather men and twinks.
• REPORT | More LGBT and gender-diverse people were arrested and prosecuted in 2023.
• UPDATE | 66 countries where gay sex is illegal.
• 13 US states still officially punish gay sex.
• How gay friendly are trending travel destinations Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine?.
• European Union and 15 Member States challenge Hungary’s gay propaganda ban in court.
• SPARTACUS GAY TRAVEL INDEX 2023 | Belgium 17th most gay travel friendly country; Malta on 1, Canada and Switzerland share 2nd.
• 1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ people in Flanders and Brussels experienced physical aggression in the past two years.
• FLANDERS | LGBTQIA+ people more often unhappy, bullied and misjudged.
• ILGA-EUROPE | 2022 deadliest rise in homophobic and transphobic violence in over a decade.
• EXHIBITION | ‘Homosexuals and Lesbians in Nazi Europe’, Kazerne Dossin, Mechelen.
• 71 (68) countries where gay sex is illegal.
• Political and governmental homophobia and transphobia in Europe not necessarily backed by public opinion.
• COVID-19 and Anti-LGBTQI initiatives make queer life harder in Europe.
• To be or not to be out and proud LGBTQ when travelling?.
• Are you travelling to a hostile destination?.
• ILGA-Europe: COVID-19 affected LGBTI people’s human rights heavily.
• European Union declared ‘LGBTIQ Freedom Zone’ as Belgium mourns murdered gay man.
• Travel guide for people with HIV.
• European Union declared ‘LGBTIQ Freedom Zone’ but reality is quite different.
• A plea for LGBTQ travel in post-communist Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
• Queer in a hostile world: more likely to be arrested for looking gay than for actual homosexual acts.