Read the full list here
Europe is generally considered to be very LGBTI-friendly, but how well are countries really doing?
That’s the question the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is looking to answer with their annual Rainbow Index and the Rainbow Europe Map.
This year’s edition was released today (17 May), just in time to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
Out of the 49 countries, 18 have full marriage equality and one – Estonia – recognizes same-sex marriages entered abroad.
Out of the rest, a majority of countries offer at least civil partnerships, and LGBTI protections are widespread.
Or so we think.
Topping this year’s list is Malta, with 88% equality.
At the bottom of the list sits Azerbaijan, where the LGBTI community is deemed 5% equal to their straight and cisgender counterparts.
Out of the Scandinavian countries, once hailed some of the most LGBTI-friendly countries in Europe, only Norway still has a score of 78%.
In 2012 Sweden was fourth-best in Europe – and best in Scandinavia – for LGBTI right, but this year they slipped to 12th place.
One of the reasons, an ILGA spokesperson told The Local Sweden, was that trans people in Sweden still need to undergo medical procedures before they can legally change their name.
The Netherlands, who were the first country in the world to open marriage to same-sex couples, just about made the top 10.
While they are currently discussing laws inclusive of families with more than two parents, the Dutch Constitution and the country’s hate crime laws do not explicitly protect LGBTI people.
Here is the full list:
1 Malta 88%
2 Norway 78%
3 United Kingdom 76%
4 Belgium 72%
5 France 71%
6 Portugal 69%
7 Finland 68%
8 Denmark 68%
9 Spain 67%
10 The Netherlands 64%
11 Croatia 62%
12 Sweden 60%
13 Austria 56%
14 Germany 54%
15 Ireland 52%
16 Greece 47%
17 Iceland 47%
18 Luxembourg 46%
19 Hungary 45%
20 Slovenia 44%
21 Montenegro 39%
22 Andorra 35%
23 Estonia 33%
24 Albania 33%
25 Bosnia&Herzegovina 31%
26 Switzerland 31%
27 Kosovo* 30%
28 Serbia 30%
29 Czech Republic 29%
30 Cyprus 29%
31 Slovakia 28%
32 Italy 27%
33 Georgia 26%
34 Bulgaria 23%
35 Romania 21%
36 Ukraine 19%
37 Poland 18%
38 Liechtenstein 18%
39 Lithuania 17%
40 Latvia 17%
41 FYR Macedonia16%
42 Belarus 13%
43 Moldova 13%
44 San Marino 12%
45 Monaco 10%
46 Turkey 9%
47 Armenia 7%
48 Russia 6%
49 Azerbaijan 5%
