The debate over banning conversion therapy in the European Union has reached a new peak after a petition collected by ACT (Against Conversion Therapy) gathered more than 1.2 million signatures. This public mobilization, supported by over 300 NGOs, formally triggered a European Citizens’ Initiative and obliges the European Commission to respond with either legislative proposals or a reasoned refusal. The petitioners call on Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, responsible for equality at EU level, to translate this civic momentum into binding rules that would outlaw what the United Nations already recognizes as practices of torture when aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
While several EU countries, notably France, have already taken national measures—France banning conversion therapy in 2026—the practice remains legal in 19 member states. Supporters of an EU-wide ban argue the inconsistency creates safe havens and cross-border networks that allow abusive practices to persist. Testimonies from survivors, spanning from the Valencia region in Spain to suburbs of Warsaw in Poland, depict not isolated incidents but an organized continuum of harm. The petition therefore frames conversion therapy as a systemic human-rights violation requiring harmonized action across the Union.
What the citizens’ initiative demands
The Initiative asks the Commission to propose an EU-level legal act that would make the provision, promotion and facilitation of conversion therapies illegal in every member state. By passing the one-million signature threshold, the initiative met the procedural criteria that compel an official response, and set a firm expectation: condemnation alone is insufficient. Advocates stress that legal prohibition must be paired with access to remedies, support services for victims, and mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable, including cross-border cooperation to dismantle transnational networks that organize or promote these practices.
Institutional backing and political momentum
Pressure is mounting from several EU institutions: the European Parliament included a call for EU legislation in its annual report on fundamental rights, urging the Commission to present a proposal that follows the citizens’ initiative. The European Economic and Social Committee has also urged the Commission to act, and many parliamentarians across political groups have publicly backed a pan-EU prohibition. Even as extremist political forces attack LGBTI+ rights, a broad parliamentary majority has signaled support for a clear legal response, insisting that allowing conversion therapies undermines the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and basic standards of decency.
Evidence from survivors and the scale of the problem
Survivor accounts gathered by ACT and partner organizations indicate that conversion therapy is neither anecdotal nor obsolete. Instead, it functions as an organized set of practices, sometimes coordinated across borders, that employ psychological coercion, religious interventions, and in some cases physical abuse. These testimonies show how victims are targeted based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and reveal patterns of systemic violence that meet the threshold of torture under international definitions. The geographic spread—from Iberia to Central Europe—demonstrates the urgency of a uniform legal response.
Why an EU law matters
A European law would remove the legal patchwork that now exists, preventing perpetrators from exploiting national differences and ensuring victims can seek justice regardless of where abuse occurred. An EU prohibition would also establish minimum standards for prevention, victim support and sanctions. Advocates argue this is essential not only for legal coherence but for public health and human dignity. The call is clear: European citizens expect the Commission to convert civic pressure into binding protection.
Countdown to a Commission decision
The Commission has until 18 May 2026 to respond to the citizens’ initiative launched by ACT. Activists warn that a mere statement of condemnation will not suffice; they demand concrete legislative proposals that will close loopholes and create enforceable rights for survivors. With both public opinion and multiple EU bodies aligned behind a ban, the forthcoming response by Commissioner Hadja Lahbib will be judged as a test of the EU’s commitment to equality, human dignity and the rule of law.
For now, civil society organizations continue to document abuses, support survivors and press policymakers to enact a comprehensive ban. The choice before the Commission is framed starkly by campaigners: to allow continued impunity for practices the UN equates with torture, or to act decisively to protect LGBTI+ people across the Union. European citizens and their organizations have made their position unmistakable; the ball is now in the Commission’s court.