PRAGUE (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Rising populism and nationalism pose the greatest threats to LGBT+ rights in Europe, activists said on Thursday as they gathered in Prague for a major annual conference.

Campaigners attending the annual conference of LGBT+ rights organization ILGA-Europe said they had growing concerns about the rise of right-wing politicians and a dip in public support.

As the three-day conference got under way, the Thomson Reuters Foundation asked delegates what they saw as the greatest threats to LGBT+ rights in Europe.

ADELA HORAKOVA, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR, JSME FER (THE CZECH MARRIAGE EQUALITY CAMPAIGN)

“The deconstruction of democracy... impacts us (and) it impacts others.

“The impact on other people is not so visible yet as we are being used in the forefront as a tool of the fight against democracy, but that is the biggest threat – the framework is falling apart.

“We might see numbers of public support falling as people are not immune to the fear-mongering they hear around them. Certainly, there is a risk of regression.” Read more via Reuters