Nineteen MEPs from the Renew Europe group, led by Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, have asked the European Commission whether the Court of Justice of the European Union's (CJEU) April 2026 ruling against Hungary's anti-LGBTI propaganda law also applies to a similar law in Bulgaria, and if so, what action the Commission will take. The written question, submitted on 7 July 2026, presses the Commission to launch infringement proceedings against Bulgaria, as it did against Hungary, arguing that the Bulgarian law discriminates against LGBTI youth and teachers.
The CJEU ruled in April 2026 that amendments to Hungary's Public Education Law, which banned the promotion of non-traditional sexual orientations and gender identities in schools, breached EU law by restricting the free movement of services. Bulgaria adopted its own anti-LGBTI propaganda law in August 2024, which prohibits the promotion of ideas related to non-traditional sexual orientation and gender identity in education. The MEPs argue that the CJEU's reasoning should apply equally to Bulgaria, yet the Commission has not launched infringement proceedings against Sofia.
the MEPs want the Commission to confirm the legal applicability of the CJEU ruling to Bulgaria, specify what actions it will take, and set a timeline for launching infringement proceedings. They also challenge the Commission to justify inaction, asking how continued discrimination can be squared with EU treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the Bulgarian law as a comparable violation and whether it is prepared to escalate enforcement, potentially affecting LGBTI rights, education providers, and national sovereignty in Bulgaria.