LGBTQ rights in Europe

LGBTQ rights in Europe
  Same-sex marriage
  Civil unions
  Limited domestic recognition (cohabitation)
  Limited foreign recognition (residency rights)
  No recognition
  Constitutional limit on marriage
StatusLegal, with an equal age of consent, in all 51 states
Legal, with an equal age of consent, in all 6 dependencies and other territories
Gender identityLegal in 39 out of 51 states
Legal in 3 out of 6 dependencies and other territories
MilitaryAllowed to serve openly in 40 out of 47 states having an army
Allowed in all 6 dependencies and other territories
Discrimination protectionsProtected in 44 out of 51 states
Protected in all 6 dependencies and other territories
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsRecognised in 29 out of 51 states
Recognised in all 6 dependencies and other territories
RestrictionsSame-sex marriage constitutionally banned in 15 out of 51 states
AdoptionLegal in 22 out of 51 states
Legal in 5 out of 6 dependencies and other territories

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights are widely diverse in Europe per country. 22 of the 38 countries that have legalised same-sex marriage worldwide are situated in Europe. A further 11 European countries have legalised civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.

Several European countries do not recognise any form of same-sex unions. Marriage is defined as a union solely between a man and a woman in the constitutions of Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. Of these, however, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia and Montenegro recognise same-sex partnerships. Same-sex marriage is unrecognised but not constitutionally banned in the constitutions of Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Turkey, Romania and Vatican City. Eastern Europe is generally seen as having fewer legal rights and protections, worse living conditions, and less supportive public opinion for LGBT people than that in Western Europe. The situation for LGBTQ people is considered the worst in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

All European countries that allow marriage also allow joint adoption by same-sex couples. Of the countries that have civil unions only, none but Croatia and Liechtenstein allow joint adoption, and only Italy and San Marino allow step-parent adoption only.

In the 2011 UN General Assembly declaration for LGBT rights, state parties were given a chance to express their support, opposition or abstention on the topic. A majority of the European countries expressed their support, and only Kazakhstan expressed its opposition. State parties that expressed abstention were Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, and Turkey.

In December 2020, Hungary explicitly legally banned adoption for same-sex couples within its constitution,[1][2] and in June 2021 the Hungarian parliament approved a law prohibiting the showing of "any content portraying or promoting sex reassignment or homosexuality" to minors, similar to the Russian "anti-gay propaganda" law.[3] Sixteen EU member states condemned the law, calling it a breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.[4]

The top three European countries in terms of LGBT equality according to ILGA-Europe are Malta, Iceland and Belgium.[5][6] Western Europe is often regarded as being one of the most progressive regions in the world for LGBT people to live in.

  Countries in Europe recognising gender self-identification
Legal status of adoption by same-sex couples in Europe:
  Joint adoption legal
  Stepparent adoption legal
  No laws allowing adoption by same-sex couples
  1. ^ "Hungary Amends Constitution to Redefine Family, Effectively Banning Gay Adoption". NBC News. Reuters. 15 December 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  2. ^ Tracy, Matt (17 December 2020). "Hungary Bans LGBTQ Adoption Rights in Broad Power Grab". Gay City News. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Hungary's parliament passes anti-LGBT law ahead of 2022 election". CNN. 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Thirteen EU countries denounce Hungary's new anti-LGBT law". EuroNews. 22 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Malta ranks first in European 'rainbow map' of LGBTIQ rights". MaltaToday.com.mt. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023.
  6. ^ "2024 RAINBOW MAP". ILGA-Europe. Retrieved 15 May 2024.