Spain: Asturias passes first LGTBI law after seven years

Image source: Carla Antonelli

On October 14, the parliament of Asturias, Spain, approved the region's first-ever LGTBI law, ending a seven-year legislative journey. Every parliamentary group voted in favor except the four deputies of the far-right Vox party. With the vote, Asturias is no longer one of Spain's outliers without dedicated legislation for sexual minorities; only Castilla y León remains without it.

The law — for the eradication of discrimination and the real and effective equality of rights of lesbian, gay, trans, bisexual and intersex people and their families — sets up a protection framework and sanctions regime for discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression; bans so-called conversion therapies within the public and publicly funded networks; requires public and concerted schools to adopt protocols against LGTBIphobic school bullying and to respect students' identity and felt name; and pays special attention to "sexilio" (leaving one's home region over sexual orientation or gender identity) in rural areas. It also creates an LGTBI Participation Council and requires public subsidy calls to weigh whether beneficiaries have equality and anti-discrimination plans. During the legislative process, conservatives added two amendments: mandatory family consent for under-16s to transition, and a ban on name and gender changes for minors.

XEGA, Asturias's leading sexual-minority rights organization, celebrated that "Asturias is no longer an anomaly in Spain," while stressing the law's success will depend on "sufficient resources and rigorous implementation." Paula Iglesias, president of the State Federation LGTBI+ (FELGTBI+), welcomed the law but noted Castilla y León remains the only region without such legislation. The People's Party's Manuel Cifuentes said that despite reservations, his party backed the text "out of responsibility" and considered it "necessary." Vox, the only group to vote against, called the law a "dictatorship of thought." PSOE senator and trans activist Carla Antonelli also celebrated the vote on social media.

Analysts note that since Andalucía, Catalonia and Galicia pioneered regional laws in 2014, Spain now has 20 regional laws (13 general and 7 trans-specific) covering every region except Castilla y León, where the People's Party formed a coalition with Vox after March elections, freezing legislation. Juxtaposed with Aragón's elimination this week of a €161,000 LGTBI aid line, the Asturias vote shows Spain's regions continuing to diverge on sexual-minority issues: rights advancing in some places while existing gains face rollbacks in others.

European Editorial Office: Lucas Bakke

Sources: Parliament of Asturias, El País, FELGTBI+, XEGA and public reporting (tip: Carla Antonelli)

Reference links:
https://elpais.com/sociedad/lgtb/2026-10-14/asturias-aprueba-su-ley-lgtbi-y-deja-a-castilla-y-leon-como-la-unica-region-sin-normativa-para-el-colectivo.html
https://revistarainbow.com/ley-lgtbi-asturias-aprobada/
https://diversosmagazine.com/asturias-aprueba-su-ley-lgtbi-tras-anos-de-reivindicaciones-y-deja-a-castilla-y-leon-como-la-unica-comunidad-sin-una-norma-autonomica-especifica/
https://mioviedo.com/asturias-aprueba-una-historica-ley-lgtbi-con-el-unico-rechazo-de-vox-ni-un-paso-atras-ni-un-derecho-menos/