Spain has overtaken Malta as Europe’s top country for LGBTQ+ rights in ILGA-Europe’s 2026 Rainbow Map. ILGA-Europe is the European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. The annual ranking evaluates 49 European countries based on laws and policies affecting the queer community. Spain climbed to the number one position after introducing new legal protections, creating an independent equal treatment and non-discrimination authority, and fully depathologizing trans identities in healthcare.
Deputy Director of ILGA-Europe Katrin Hugendubel (HOO-gain-doo-bel) said: “Spain’s number one ranking is a strong example of what becomes possible when a government makes a deliberate choice to advance equality rather than retreat from it. We see this same spirit in leaders like Zohran Mamdani in New York, who are refusing to bow to the authoritarian pressure of this moment and choosing instead to stand with their communities.”
Joining Spain in the top five were Iceland, Belgium, and Denmark. The United Kingdom ranked mid-table with a score of 44 percent, while Russia and Azerbaijan placed last with scores of just 2 percent.
