When the European Centre-right LGBT+ Alliance gathered for its Annual Meeting in Malta, November 7-9 th the biggest decision was to rename the organisation. From January 1 st, 2025, the new name will be EPPride – the LGBTIQ+ Network of the European Peoples Party (EPP)
Apart from the name change and the annual formalities, important areas like religious impact on the lives of LGBTIQ+ persons and their families, the development in Eastern Europe as well as the situation for LGBTIQ+ refugees and migrants where discussed.
Asking for prioritisation of LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers
The Alliance calls in particular for making LGBTIQ+ refugees a priority within the framework of the EU migration pact since LGBTIQ+ refugees are a particularly vulnerable group as defined by UNHCR 1 . Also, the Alliance asks European states to implement policies that ensure that LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers are safeguarded from violence, threats, and discrimination during their application process. And underlines the need to ensure that all migrants are treated with dignity and respect as well as given necessary health care and opportunities to safeguard their human rights.
– LGBTIQ+ refugees are not only fleeing civil war and terrorist groups. They are also on the run from authorities, society and their own families who often try to hunt them down to imprison or kill them, Alliance President Helge Y L’orange states, and continues: It is not just about how many refugees we will accept or how much money we will spend on hosting refugees. It’s also about who we have a responsibility to help, and where the need is greatest.
The LGBTIQ+ network of EPP – soon EPPride
From the founding in 2013 the Alliance has grown to a broad network covering 10 countries
from Cyprus and Malta in the south to Scandinavia and Ireland in north and west.
– We continuously work to grow our organisation. Adding FOIPN of Malta and Democratic Rally from Cyprus has broadened the organisations and our perspectives. They make us a more complete European organisation, President L’orange states and says there are ongoing dialogues with several parties to enlarge the organisation further.
Since February 2023 the Alliance is an official part of the EPP-family as an associated entity. In order to make it clearer that we are part of the EPP, the name will be changed to EPPride from January 1 st 2025.
Leadership re-elected
The Alliance board was re-elected in its entirety including the presidency under the leadership of President Helge Ytterøy L’orange, Åpne Høyre (Norway) supported by First Vice President Gerben Horst, CDA Pride Netwerk (The Netherlands) and Second Vice President Kevin Maas, CD&V Regenboognetwerk, Belgium. The board and presidency are supported by Secretary General Fredrik Saweståhl, Öppna Moderater (Sweden) who was reappointed by the board.
