In a significant step towards outlawing conversion therapy across the European Union, the European Parliament has voted to support a ban on the harmful and discredited practice.
On Wednesday, 405 out of 630 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) condemned conversion practices aimed at changing, repressing or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression, describing them “as violations of fundamental rights.”
While the vote is not legally binding, MEPs have urged the European Commission to take further action by presenting a proposal “for a legal act establishing an EU ban on conversion practices in all Member States.” The European Commission is expected to respond to the call by 18 May 2026.
Citizen Campaign Drives Parliamentary Action
The vote follows a campaign launched in 2023 by the European Association Against Conversion Therapy (ACT), which initiated a European Citizens’ Initiative to outlaw conversion therapy across the bloc.
The initiative has gained the backing of more than 300 NGOs and has collected over 1.2 million signatures in support of the ban. ACT described Wednesday’s vote as “a big victory for the LGBTI+ community in Europe.”
A Discredited and Harmful Practice
Often cloaked in pseudoscientific language or religious justification, conversion therapy has been discredited by major human rights, medical and mental health organisations worldwide as ineffective and dangerous, having been linked to suicide attempts, depression and anxiety.
These practices can target both minors and adults and may include prayer sessions, counselling, exorcisms, beatings, humiliation, fasting, and even rape, all in the name of “curing” individuals of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Growing Number of EU Bans
Several EU countries have already introduced bans on conversion therapy, including Malta (2016), Germany (2020), France (2022), Greece (2022), Spain (2023), Belgium (2023), Cyprus (2023) and Portugal (2024).
According to a 2024 briefing by the European Parliament, an estimated 5% of the LGBTI community in Europe have been offered conversion “therapies”, while around 2% have undergone them. However, the briefing notes that other sources suggest the true figures may be significantly higher.
