Most coalition party voters want to ban gay conversion therapy

Most Dutch voters, including a majority of those who voted for the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB coalition, want to ban gay conversion therapy. Only 20 percent of Dutch, mostly those who voted for the conservative Christian parties, don’t think it necessary, according to EenVandaag’s annual Pride survey among 23,050 of its opinion panel.

In November, three of the four coalition parties refused to sign a Rainbow Agreement supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. Only the VVD signed.

Gay conversion therapy is an unproven form of therapy to suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Unlike many other countries, it is not illegal in the Netherlands. The previous parliament wanted to make it punishable, but according to the Council of State, the ban is in conflict with the fundamental right to freedom of religion.

The new Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, also supports banning gay conversion therapy. Even a majority of PVV voters (60%), who support other anti-LGBTQIA+ laws, think this therapy should be banned. As do 77 percent of NSC voters.

Opponents (20 percent) are mainly from the conservative Christian parties SGP and ChristenUnie. “If someone chooses to follow that therapy, he or she should decide for themselves. Just as they should decide for themselves what to call themselves,” a ChristenUnie voter told EenVandaag.

There is much less support for another LGBTQIA+ friendly bill currently making the rounds in parliament. This bill would allow people from age 16 to change their gender on their ID and passport without requiring a medical report. Only 36 percent of voters think this should be possible in the Netherlands, and 46 percent are against it. Opponents are again mainly from the Christian parties, but a majority of PVV and BBB voters are also agains the idea. According to EenVandaag, they’re not all against a different gender identity but mainly doubt the age at which people can make the change.

Half of PVV voters (51 percent) support a law passed in Hungary that bans the “depiction and promotion” of different gender identities and sexual orientations to people under the age of 18. The law treats books featuring people from the LGBTQIA+ community like pornography - they can’t be sold near schools or churches, and in other places must be sold in plastic-sealed packaging. One PVV voter said he is against the “woke nonsense” that comes with information about being gay. “Children sometimes go through a phase where they want to be a boy or a girl. And that often passes,” the PVV voter said.

Italy is implementing a law this year that will make it more difficult for same-sex couples to recognize a child. The law means that the non-biological parent won’t be able to pick up their kid from school, take them on vacation, or approve medical treatment for them without the written consent of the biological parent. To get these rights, the non-biological parent must officially adopt the child - a process that takes about 3 years and costs a lot of money.

Most Dutch voters (64%) are against this law. Like with other LGBTQIA+ unfriendly legislation, left-wing voters are most opposed. Of the coalition parties, PVV voters are still most in favor (39%), but there are slightly more opponents (43%).