Former Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar declares EU at forefront of LGBTQ+ rights
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Former Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has declared that the European Union is now at the forefront of the global movement for LGBTQ+ and intersex rights, citing recent developments and growing solidarity across member states.
Speaking at a conference on LGBTQ+ rights at Central European University in Budapest, Varadkar emphasised the EU’s responsibility to uphold equality and human rights for all citizens. “We’re all European citizens. We all carry the same passport, and among the European rights that we have is the right to be the person you are,” he said. “If that can be undermined and reversed in one part of the European Union, it can be in other parts too.”
His comments come amid controversy surrounding Hungary’s attempts to ban the Budapest Pride parade, which activists have condemned as a regressive move against democratic values and LGBTQ+ visibility. Varadkar warned that such actions represent a “political trap” set by Hungarian authorities, aimed at provoking the EU while courting far-right support ahead of national elections.
The founding principles of the Union are respect for equality and human rights
Varadkar, who served as Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024, has long been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. During his tenure, Ireland passed landmark legislation including marriage equality and gender recognition laws. He was also the first openly gay Irish Prime Minister.
Now appointed as Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights, Varadkar is leading a strategic initiative titled The Future of LGBTQI+ Rights in the European Union. The project aims to benchmark policy standards, analyse political trends, and address social stigma affecting LGBTQ+ communities across Europe.
Varadkar’s remarks in Budapest reflect a broader concern about democratic backsliding and the instrumentalisation of LGBTQ+ issues in political discourse. He urged fellow Europeans to stand in solidarity with those facing discrimination, warning that complacency could threaten hard-won rights across the continent.
“The founding principles of the Union are respect for equality and human rights,” he said. “Europe must not only defend these values but lead by example.”
