ILGA-Europe’s annual Rainbow Map found advances on LGBTQ+ rights have come to “almost a complete standstill”, with the UK falling further down the rankings of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Europe.
The map, published every year on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia And Biphobia, gives each European nation a ranking based on 71 criteria, including non-discrimination policies and hate crime laws. Malta ranked the highest for the sixth year in a row, followed closely by Belgium and Luxembourg.
The UK fell to 10th place after ranking in 9th last year. Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia ranked bottom, while Poland was the lowest ranking EU country for the second year in a row.