The top three consists of Malta, Iceland, and Belgium. Thanks to the results of a special action program for the development of LGBT+ rights, Icelanders have climbed from fifth to second place on the ranking. Another significant riser is Greece, which introduced same-sex marriage this year. Last year, Greece was in thirteenth place, but this year it stands at number seven.
Montenegro, which was in twelfth place last year, drops to twenty first place. The Netherlands, once known as a leader in progressive LGBT+ legislation, remains stuck at fourteenth place.
Throughout Europe, ILGA notes a "continuing lack of awareness and political will to address the socio-economic inequalities of LGBTI people." LGBT+ migrants are also increasingly facing repression. ILGA cites the Netherlands as a distressing example, where three-quarters of LGBT+ asylum seekers go back into the closet out of fear. Additionally, ILGA observes that extremist politicians are increasingly portraying children as victims of LGBT+ emancipation.
ILGA bases the list on a study of national legislation and incidents that occurred in the past year. Topics considered include family rights, the asylum process, freedom of expression and assembly, intersex and trans rights, hate crime legislation, and education on these topics.
