Bulgarian Parliament Enforces Ban on LGBT Education in Schools

On August 7, the Bulgarian parliament approved an amendment banning LGBT “propaganda” in schools and a separate measure defining “nontraditional sexual orientation.”

The amendment to the Law on Preschool and School Education, proposed by the pro-Russian Revival (Vazrazhdane) party, passed with a vote of 159-20, with 10 abstentions. It prohibits the “propaganda, promotion, or incitement of ideas and views related to nontraditional sexual orientation and/or gender identity other than the biological one” in the education system.

Additionally, lawmakers defined “nontraditional sexual orientation” as “different from the generally accepted and established notions in the Bulgarian legal tradition of emotional, romantic, sexual, or sensual attraction between persons of opposite sexes.” This measure passed but with a narrower margin.

Proponents argued that the amendments align with Bulgaria’s constitution, which recognizes marriage solely between a man and a woman, and uphold Orthodox values. Critics, however, focused on the term “nontraditional sexual orientation,” noting its similarity to part of Wikipedia’s definition of sexual orientation.

Elisaveta Belobradova of the reformist We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) criticized the use of Wikipedia definitions in lawmaking, calling it “cheap populism” rather than a conservative defense of Bulgarian children. Georgi Georgiev of the center-right GERB party warned that this sets an unprecedented and discriminatory precedent in the EU legal system, contradicting the European Convention on Human Rights.

Following the adoption of the amendment and definition, demonstrators in Sofia chanted “Shame on you” and “Stop chasing people out of Bulgaria.” LevFem, the feminist group behind the rally, argued that the amendment would hinder efforts to combat harassment of LGBT students in schools.

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, a rights NGO, urged lawmakers to reject the changes, claiming they “breach basic human rights” protected by the Bulgarian Constitution, EU laws, and international conventions. Denitsa Lyubenova, a lawyer for Deystvie, an LGBT rights group, stated that the amendment “implicitly foreshadows a witch-hunt and sanctions any educational efforts related to LGBTQ people in school.”