03/16/2026
In a sweeping and highly contentious move, the National Assembly of Bulgaria has passed legislation prohibiting what the government labels as “LGBTQ+ propaganda” in schools and among minors. The new law—officially titled the “Protection of Children from Harmful Ideological Influence Act”—bans any teaching, discussion, or depiction of gender identity, transgender issues, or non-traditional sexual orientations within educational settings.
Backed by deputies from GERB, DPS, Revival, and portions of BSP, the bill includes criminal and administrative penalties such as fines up to 10,000 leva (~$5,500), with steeper consequences for repeat violations.
What the law criminalizes:
Teaching or promoting any “non-traditional sexual orientation” or “gender identity different from biological sex” to individuals under 18
Hosting school events, workshops, or distributing materials that authorities deem to “propagandize” LGBTQ+ lifestyles
Displaying symbols, books, or media addressing LGBTQ+ topics in educational institutions
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov defended the measure during parliamentary debate, asserting:
“We are protecting our children from ideological experiments. Schools should teach Bulgarian values—not imported gender theories.”
Supporters argue the legislation:
Protects traditional family structures
Confronts “foreign ideological influence”
Aligns Bulgaria with similar measures in Hungary, Poland, and Russia
Immediate backlash:
Human rights groups including ILGA-Europe, Amnesty International, and local organizations such as Bilitis and the GLAS Foundation condemned the legislation as discriminatory and harmful to vulnerable youth.
The European Commission warned that the law could violate EU norms and may result in infringement procedures or potential funding consequences.
Protests erupted in major cities including Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna, where demonstrators carried rainbow flags and signs proclaiming “Bulgaria is Europe — not Russia.” Opposition deputies from We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria walked out of the chamber in protest.
Online reactions:
Hashtags such as and trended in Bulgarian social media spaces
Conservative voices celebrated the decision
Progressive groups denounced it as a dangerous rollback of civil rights
International observers compared the bill to Hungary’s 2021 child-protection law and Russia’s long-standing “propaganda” restrictions
Legal and political implications:
Experts caution that the law’s broad language—especially terms like “promotion” and “propaganda”—may lead to over-interpretation and self-censorship within schools. Constitutional challenges are widely expected, and cases may ultimately reach the European Court of Human Rights.
EU repercussions remain uncertain, but Brussels has previously taken action against member states for similar policies.
As the legislation takes effect next school year, Bulgaria joins a growing list of Central and Eastern European countries restricting LGBTQ+ visibility in education. Whether the law withstands judicial review and EU scrutiny—or becomes the latest battleground in Europe’s cultural divide—remains an open question.
