Bulgaria bans ‘non-traditional sexual orientation propaganda’ in schools

Bulgaria’s parliament, mired in political instability, on Wednesday banned what it calls “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation” in primary and secondary schools by amending the Education Act.

The amendment was proposed by the ultra-nationalist and pro-Russian Resurrection party and was supported in a first vote by 154 deputies in the 240-seat chamber, while eight voted against and nine abstained.

Following the initial vote, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, which is socially conservative and opposed to “gender ideology” and which in 2018 blocked the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, requested a second vote for the final approval of the law.

200 of the 240 deputies took part in this vote, of which 135 voted in favour, 57 against and there were 8 abstentions.

Among the MPs who voted in favour were far-right MPs, Socialists and conservative MPs, while MPs from the pro-European PP-BD party, the conservative GERB party and the Turkish minority party voted against.

The law prohibits “promoting, promoting or inciting in any way, directly or indirectly, ideas and points of view related to non-traditional sexual orientation and/or the determination of a gender identity other than the biological one.”

During the debates, which lasted more than four hours, proponents of the amendments argued that they reflect the spirit of Bulgaria’s constitution, which stipulates that marriage is only between a man and a woman and aligns with the values ​​of Orthodox Christianity.

Local media have pointed out that this legislation is similar to that in force in Russia, where all activities in defence of the LGBT community have been banned since the end of 2023.

Bulgaria, the poorest country in the EU, has been experiencing a period of political instability since 2021, with six elections held since then, with the seventh most likely to take place in October.

In none of the elections has a party emerged with a majority to govern alone, nor have stable coalitions been created, beyond the few months that two Executives have lasted.

The last coalition between Euro-Atlantic-oriented parties, GERB and PP-BD, collapsed after less than a year in power and polls warn of a rise in support for ultra-nationalist formations.

Sofia / EFE