Netherlands Falls to 13th in LGBTQ+ Rights Ranking

Why this is here: While the Netherlands demonstrates high societal acceptance, only 76 percent of Dutch people expressed positive views toward homosexuality as of 2020, a figure that, while high, indicates continued room for growth in public opinion.

ILGA-Europe’s 2025 Rainbow Europe Index places the Netherlands thirteenth among 49 European countries, with a score of roughly 64 percent. The ranking compares nations on laws protecting against discrimination, family rights, and asylum policies.

Malta, Belgium, Iceland, and Spain all rank higher. Researchers attribute the Netherlands’ decline to lagging legislation regarding transgender and intersex rights, as other countries modernized their laws.

Despite this drop, the Dutch public generally holds positive views toward LGBTQ+ individuals. The percentage of Dutch people with positive attitudes toward homosexuality increased from 53 percent in 2006 to 76 percent in 2020. However, acceptance still has limits—public displays of affection and acceptance of transgender people remain lower.

The study also notes increasing restrictions in countries like Hungary, Georgia, and the United Kingdom. Legal equality grows in Western Europe, while other nations introduce limitations. Further work is needed to maintain and expand protections.