The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that all EU countries must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in any other member state, even if domestic law does not allow such unions. The ruling stems from a 2018 same-sex marriage in Berlin involving two Polish citizens, whose request for recognition in Poland was initially denied. The refusal, the court said, violates EU citizens’ right to freedom of movement and respect for private and family life.
This landmark decision comes at a time when Europe remains deeply divided on LGBTQ+ rights. While some countries have achieved remarkable progress, others have experienced troubling waves of regression. Across the continent, queer people are living vastly different realities, and equality is still a long way from being universal.
Earlier this year, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) released their annual Rainbow Map that ranks 49 European countries based on how well they safeguard the rights of LGBTQ+ people through laws on equality, family recognition, legal gender recognition, hate crime, and asylum. While some nations have become far more inclusive of their queer community, others continue to lag significantly behind.
Click through the following gallery to see where the countries rank.