An important election for the LGBTIQ community

The rise of populist parties, increasingly trying to push back the LGBTIQ community’s rights, makes the adopted EU strategy for equality and further work even more important, writes Helge Ytterøy L’orange of the Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance.

Helge Ytterøy L’orange, the President of the European Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance. ‘LGBTIQ’ stands for Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer.

The Equality strategy contained targeted measures to eliminate injustices, mainstream LGBTIQ equality into all policy areas, and strengthen the voice of LGBTIQ persons. The follow-up on the strategy makes the 2025 election to the European Parliament an important election for the LGBTIQ community.

We see governments, e.g., the former PIS government in Poland and the current governments in Italy and Slovakia, pushing back fundamental human rights for LGBTIQ persons. Increasing hate violence in everyday life and, at the state level, in many countries around the world and in our immediate neighbourhood is apparent. A clear signal and a clear stance from the EU are more important than ever.

Centre-right movement with a clear stand

The European People’s Party (EPP), the party group of the Christian Democrats and Centre-right parties in the EU Parliament, has taken a clear position in its election manifesto. The protection of the rights of minorities, explicitly including LGBTIQ, is indispensable.

For the EPP, minority protection is not just an empty phrase, it is an important part of the rule of law. Our Alliance acknowledge that and has contributed to the EPP’s human rights policy with the political expertise of our member organisations and our personal experience.

We have already presented a catalogue of measures and demands to follow up on the election manifesto after the upcoming EU election. This is important to implement the good intentions of the electoral manifesto into practical politics.

A broad perspective on LGBTIQ issues

Among other things, we advocate clearly against so-called conversion therapies, calls for the criminalisation of hate crimes and hate speech, as well as better and non-discriminatory legislation for transgender people. In the context of migration and asylum, we focus on the particularly vulnerable group of LGBTIQ* refugees, who are exposed to renewed discrimination and reprisals in many European refugee centres.

The rights of rainbow families and the creation of the best conditions for starting a family are particularly important to us. This is also explicitly included in the EPP’s election manifesto, which we are very happy about.

Only a democracy in which democratic parties govern will grant LGBTIQ people and other minorities lasting protection. That is why going to the polls during the European election is so important.