London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

EU court sides with LGBT couple in ‘huge’ development

EU court sides with LGBT couple in ‘huge’ development

The European Court of Justice (CJEU) has ruled that member states must recognize LGBT+ parents and their children as one family, after Bulgarian authorities refused to give a birth certificate to the daughter of a same-sex couple.
The landmark decision, made on Tuesday, saw the European court declare that member states must all guarantee the same right, regardless of domestic policies, to guarantee the child’s freedom of movement across the bloc.

Bulgarian Kalina Ivanova and British Gibraltar-born Jane Jones launched the case after Bulgarian authorities wouldn’t grant a birth certificate to their daughter, who was born in Spain in 2019, as officials stated that a child cannot legally have two mothers.

Currently, same-sex marriages and partnerships are not recognized in Bulgaria, which further prevented Ivanova from getting Bulgarian citizenship for her daughter.

As neither of the mothers are Spanish, they couldn’t receive citizenship there and, under the British Nationality Act of 1981, UK citizenship can’t be transferred to a child born in Gibraltar. Concerned that their child could be left stateless, with no passport, citizenship, or other documentation, the parents filed a case with the CJEU to address the situation.

Upholding the rights of the LGBT+ couple and their family situation, the CJEU declared that depriving the child of her “right of free movement” because “her parents are of the same-sex” violates her “fundamental rights” guaranteed under EU legislation.

While accepting that nations can independently decide on “whether or not to allow marriage and parenthood” for same-sex couples, the court stated that this cannot result in a contravention of the rights the “child derives from EU law.”

Under the ruling, the CJEU ordered Bulgaria to issue the child a passport. The case cannot be appealed.

Welcoming the decision, lawyers representing the parents called it a “huge step for all LGBTQ families in Bulgaria and Europe.” The duo promised that they would launch further action to secure legal recognition in Bulgaria as the legal parents of the child.

"The judgment has brought long-awaited clarification that parenthood established in one EU Member State cannot be discarded by another, under the pretence of protecting the 'national identity’,” Arpi Avetisyan, head of litigation at NGO ILGA-Europe, said in response to the ruling.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×