The European Parliament has voted to support a ban on conversion therapy across the European Union, in a move hailed as a major step forward for LGBTQIA+ rights in Europe.
The vote follows a European Citizens’ Initiative launched in January 2024 by ACT LGBT, which gathered over 1.2 million signatures calling for the practice to be outlawed.
The result sends a strong political signal to the European Commission, the only EU institution empowered to propose binding legislation. If advanced, the law would ban all forms of conversion therapy for both children and adults across the bloc.
Conversion therapy refers to practices aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It has been widely condemned by health and human rights organisations.
Campaigners have welcomed the decision as a significant milestone in the push for stronger protections for LGBTQIA+ people in Europe.
Progress in Europe
Within Europe, several countries have already taken steps to outlaw conversion therapy. Belgium, France, Germany, Malta, Spain, Cyprus, Iceland, Norway, and Portugal have implemented nationwide bans, criminalising the practice in all its forms.
In other nations, such as Albania, Greece, and Switzerland, the bans are limited to medical professionals or are indirect, targeting diagnoses based solely on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe further reinforced this momentum on 29 January 2026, adopting a resolution urging all member states to introduce comprehensive bans. This growing consensus reflects a broader recognition of the harm caused by conversion therapy, which has been linked to severe psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Global momentum
Beyond Europe, the movement to ban conversion therapy is gaining traction worldwide.
As of April 2026, 28 countries have implemented some form of prohibition. Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico have joined European nations in banning the practice outright, while countries like Brazil, Chile, and India restrict it to medical professionals. In some jurisdictions, such as parts of Australia and the United States, regional bans are also in place.
The global shift underscores a growing acknowledgment of conversion therapy as a pseudoscientific practice that violates human rights.
Health organisations, including the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association, have long condemned it, citing a lack of scientific validity and the potential for significant harm. As more nations and regions take action, the push for universal protections against conversion therapy continues to build.
