The European Evangelical Alliance has warned of a threat to religious freedom posed by the EU's strategy

The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has expressed serious concern over the adoption of the Council of Europe’s first Strategy on LGBT Equality for 2027–2032. Religious leaders fear that this document could pave the way for restrictions on freedom of speech and the right to religious freedom in the 46 countries of the region.

Tatyana Kopaleishvili, the organization’s representative to the EU, emphasized that, although the strategy does not formally have direct legal force, it will serve as a key guideline for national authorities and judicial systems. Experts are particularly concerned about provisions regarding the reform of school curricula, the tightening of “hate speech” laws, and the ban on so-called “conversion practices.”

The EEA notes that vague wording regarding bans on conversion therapy could be used to restrict pastoral care and voluntary religious counseling. Kopaleishvili insists that traditional views on marriage and human nature should remain part of a free democratic dialogue rather than be subject to persecution.

Another point of criticism is the lack of mention of parents’ rights in the educational process. The alliance points out that the European Convention on Human Rights guarantees parents the right to raise their children in accordance with their religious beliefs—a right that, according to the organization’s representatives, is ignored in the new strategy.