By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics Europe
EUROPE — (June 9, 2025) — Both Poland and Portugal ushered in Pride Month this past weekend with colorful and defiant parades, blending celebration with calls for political change amid growing concerns over conservative and far-right agendas.
In Poland, the 17th annual Pride March in Wrocław and the 10th in Gdańsk took place on Saturday, one week after conservative-nationalist Karol Nawrocki’s election, backed by the Law and Justice party. These events turned the spotlight on Poland’s long-standing battle for LGBTQ+ equality. The Wrocław parade launched from Freedom Square at 14:00, while the Tri-City Equality March—uniting Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot—began at 16:00.
High-profile political figures, including Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister of Equality Katarzyna Kotula, Mayor of Gdańsk Agnieszka Dulkiewicz, and Mayor of Sopot Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, joined the parades, underlining their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Marta Magott, city councilor and president of the Tolerado Association for LGBTQ+ rights, emphasized that the annual Pride marches stand as a “reminder of freedom, solidarity, and equality.” Poland remains the second-lowest ranked EU country for LGBTQ+ protections, trailing only Romania, as highlighted by ILGA-Europe’s 2024 “Rainbow Map.”
Warsaw is set to host its Pride March on June 14, offering another opportunity for Poland’s LGBTQ+ community to demand equality and visibility.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, the 26th LGBTQI+ Pride March took over Lisbon’s historic avenues. Starting at Praça do Marquês de Pombal at 16:30, the marchers carried the powerful theme “Resist and not just Exist,” signaling a clear rebuke to rising far-right rhetoric across Europe.
“Political forces that deny our rights are gaining institutional space. Marching is about not backing down, about existing and resisting,” stated ILGA Portugal on social media. The association, founded in 1995 and Portugal’s oldest LGBTQ+ rights group, recalled the dark legacy of Portugal’s nearly five-decade fascist dictatorship that persecuted LGBTQ+ people.
Mariana Mortágua, coordinator of the Left Bloc party, echoed these concerns on national TV, warning of a government slow to challenge growing extremism: “It’s difficult to demonstrate for human rights without threats from the extreme right, and the government is not doing enough to stop it.”
Hélder Bértolo, from the Pride organizing committee, stressed the urgency: “We have to keep fighting for our rights—it’s crucial to raise our voices, especially as these rights are threatened.” He cited setbacks in countries like Hungary and encroaching far-right influence in Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland.
The 2025 Pride March in Lisbon also featured the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG) and 18 LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, united in defending hard-won rights and pushing back against regressive political forces.
Related Links:
• JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics Europe
• JRL CHARTS – ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map 2024
• JRL CHARTS – LGBTQ Rights News & Updates
Stay tuned to JRL CHARTS LGBT Politics Europe for ongoing updates on federal actions, DEI protections, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
