Bulgarian Parliament Amends Education Law

Rejecting Gender Ideology

Despite the current political upheaval, there is one issue that nearly all parties are in agreement on: the rejection of gender ideology. This consensus has led to the Bulgarian parliament making changes to the country's education law, which now prohibits the promotion of LGBT propaganda in schools.

Overwhelming Support for the Amendment

The revised law received an overwhelming majority of votes, with 159 in favor, 22 against, and 12 abstentions. This indicates that the changes enjoyed substantial cross-party support. The law now prohibits the "propaganda, promotion or incitement in any way, directly or indirectly, in the education system of ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation and/or gender identity other than the biological one."

Reasons Behind the Amendment

Many lawmakers pointed to foreign-authored textbooks on sexual education for children as the catalyst for the amendment of the education law. Right-wing nationalist party Revival stated that promoting socio-cultural models of non-traditional sexual orientation near schools is not in line with Bulgarian tradition. Petar Nikolov of the centre-right GERB party expressed his opposition to propaganda that imposes alternative sexual orientation on children, emphasizing Bulgaria’s “Christian essence.”

Views from Other Parties

Yordan Tsonev from the liberal-centrist DPS party, which represents the interests of ethnic minority Turks, underscored the importance of raising children according to binary gender principles. Former Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova voiced her concern about gender ideology "creeping into and taking over Bulgarian schools." However, the main Europhile party, PP–DB, which is often accused by its opponents of serving the interests of the U.S. Democrat administration, rejected the amendment. MP Elisaveta Belobradova argued that the law represents "cheap populism" rather than addressing any real issues within the educational system.

Public Reaction

Pro-LGBT protesters took to the streets on Wednesday, criticizing the law as a "breach of basic human rights," and labeling the parliament's move as a "witch hunt" against LGBT people.

Political Backdrop

The amendment to the law received strong backing from across the political spectrum, despite the political turmoil that has engulfed Bulgaria for the past few years. The Balkan EU member state is facing its seventh parliamentary election in three-and-a-half years in October, as left-wing and conservative forces consecutively fail to gain majorities in parliament. When they have succeeded in forming coalition governments, they have quickly fallen apart.

Similarity with Other EU Countries

The amendment to Bulgaria’s education law is reminiscent of Hungary’s "Child Protection Act," which was adopted three years ago and either prohibits or heavily restricts the promotion of homosexuality and gender transition in schools and media. Bulgaria does not recognize same-sex marriage and also refuses to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, because it promotes gender ideology. This is also the reason why other Central European states, such as Hungary and Slovakia, have not ratified it.

Bottom Line

The amendment to Bulgaria's education law is a significant move in the country's stance on gender ideology and LGBT issues. It's a decision that has stirred both support and opposition, reflecting the complexity and sensitivity of these issues. What are your thoughts on this development? Do you think it's a step in the right direction or a setback? Share your views and discuss with your friends. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.