LGBTQ rights in Europe

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights are widely diverse in Europe per country. 22 of the 38 countries that have legalised same-sex marriage worldwide are situated in Europe. A further ten European countries have legalised civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.

Several European countries do not recognise any form of same-sex unions. Marriage is defined as a union solely between a man and a woman in the constitutions of Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Of these, however, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, and Montenegro recognise same-sex partnerships. Same-sex marriage is unrecognised but not constitutionally banned in the constitutions of Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Turkey, Romania and Vatican City.

All European countries that allow marriage also allow joint adoption by same-sex couples. Of the countries that have civil unions only, none but Croatia allows joint adoption, and only Czechia and San Marino allow step-parent adoption only.

The top ranking European countries in terms of LGBT equality according to ILGA-Europe are the Western European nations of Malta, Belgium, Iceland, Denmark, and Spain. The situation for LGBTQ people is considered the worst in Belarus, Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, and the transcontinental countries of Russia, Turkey, including Caucasian countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

On 25 November 2025, the European Court of Justice has ruled that member states must recognise same-sex marriages lawfully concluded in another member state. The judges note that their decision does not oblige member states to amend their domestic legislation to recognise same-sex marriage, instead simply requiring them to recognise marriages lawfully concluded in another EU country. The procedure must be applied "without distinction or additional hurdles". The same court issued exactly the same ruling in June 2018 that was ignored by countries like Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.