A recent report from an NGO highlights the alarming trend of LGBTQ+ individuals being increasingly targeted by far-right politicians who are advancing a conservative agenda. The annual review conducted by ILGA-Europe indicates a significant uptick in violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ communities, particularly in Central and Eastern European countries where right-wing political movements are gaining traction.
Escalating violence and discrimination
The report details how LGBTQ+ organizations have been unjustly categorized as agents of foreign influence, resulting in restricted access to essential services such as healthcare, alongside diminished freedom and visibility. This situation has contributed to a rise in hate crimes and the normalization of hate speech directed at LGBTQ+ individuals. In 2024 alone, there has been an unprecedented increase in violence against this community across Europe.
Countries including Italy, Belgium, and Romania have seen right-wing groups accuse LGBTQ+ individuals of threatening family values and societal stability. Such claims are often utilized during election campaigns to justify the enactment of laws that curtail fundamental freedoms and promote so-called “anti-LGBT propaganda” legislation.
Wider implications for human rights
ILGA-Europe’s analysis indicates that nations like Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal have reported a notable rise in crimes motivated by perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. This increasing hostility is alarming to many advocates and lawmakers.
“There is a tendency to instrumentalize the so-called protection of young people as a hope to spread fear and division,” stated Italian MEP Alessandro Zan during a parliamentary event. “The discriminatory measures proposed in Hungary and Slovakia and the successful resolution in Italy against the so-called gender ideology all but spread hate and discrimination across Europe … These measures harm children, families and workers,” he added.
Chaber, the executive director of ILGA-Europe, remarked that attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals are being used as testing grounds for legislation that undermines democratic principles. “Across Europe and Central Asia, governments are utilizing anti-LGBTI rhetoric to implement restrictions on free speech, civil society, and fair electoral processes,” he explained, warning that these actions could lead to broader assaults on the rights and freedoms of all individuals.
Addressing these concerns, Ana Carla Pereira, director for equality and nondiscrimination at the European Commission’s justice department, expressed her worry over this troubling trend. She reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to advancing LGBTQI rights throughout the European Union, despite the challenges posed by diminishing financial support for civil society organizations.
“We would like to keep on providing that financing,” Pereira noted, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in safeguarding LGBTQ+ rights as the EU works towards its long-term budget allocations for 2028-2034.