185 (25%) newly elected members of the 751-seat European Parliament have signed http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/how_we_work/european_institutions/ep2014, committing themselves to advancing human rights and LGBTI equality over the next five years.
Since the launch of the Come Out campaign in January, ILGA-Europe and its members reached out to candidates in all EU countries, asking them to support our 10-point pledge. In total, 1,194 candidates from all 28 EU Member States adhered to ILGA-Europe’s ten priorities on LGBTI rights for the next European Parliament.
Gabi Calleja, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said:
“We thank all the candidates who supported our Pledge. The huge number of supporters signals growing cross-party support for LGBTI equality. This said, the real work begins now. Promises now need to be translated into real action. MEPs who signed Come Out Pledge must be the driving force for human rights and LGBTI equality in the next European Parliament. Their first test will be to ensure that the next EU Commission commits to adopting an European LGBTI strategy as well as an EU internal human rights strategy.”
Gabi Calleja added: “We must thank all the LGBTI groups and allies who mobilised to make this campaign such a success. Our campaign is proof that citizens’ mobilisation can have an impact.”
Commenting on the outcomes of the European Elections 2014, Paulo Côrte-Real, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said:
“The elections results sent a shock wave across the EU with increased gains of far-right parties in the next European Parliament. However, the vast majority of the Parliament continues to be held by political groups that support a European Union of fundamental rights and non-discrimination. We will continue working with all parties who fully subscribe to human rights and LGBTI equality agenda to strengthen cross-party support which is more than ever needed to uphold values of dignity, equality and social justice in Europe.”