This year’s Rainbow Map tells two stories at once:
- One of genuine courage, in Spain, in courtrooms, and in leaders who are choosing to stand with their communities rather than scapegoat them.
- And one of real and growing danger that cannot be underestimated. The question every government in Europe must now answer is which story they want to be part of.
The Rainbow Map ranks 49 European countries on their respective legal and policy practices for LGBTI people, from 0-100%. It is supported by our Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People in Europe and Central Asia, which gathers and presents qualitative data, illustrating how these laws and policies impact politics, society, and the daily lives of LGBTI people.
According to the new edition published by ILGA-Europe, Spain has moved from the 5th to the 1st place among 49 European countries for LGBTI rights, ending 10 years of Maltese leadership. This achievement is the result of years of work by activists, civil society organisations, and many committed professionals across the country.
Malta drops one place to 2nd in the ranking with a score of 88%. While the slide in the ranking is technically due to Spain’s rise, it also reflects Malta’s stagnation and lack of continuous reform. The country still lacks a comprehensive anti-discrimination framework, which could be addressed through the Equality Bill that was tabled in 2019 and has been stalled since.
Iceland retains the 3rd place in the ranking, but gains two points, resulting in a total score of 86%. The government renewed its equality action plan, reaffirming its commitment to legal progress. Some measures set in the action plan have started being implemented, such as a training framework for asylum caseworkers in cooperation with the LGBTI organisation.
The three countries at the other end of the Rainbow Map scale are Russia (2%), Azerbaijan (2%), and Turkey (5%). Not a surprise.
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