Gay Voters 'Turning to the Right'
A growing body of polling data from across Western Europe points to a notable political realignment: a rising share of gay male voters is supporting right-wing and nationalist parties. Immigration, public safety, and concerns over cultural attitudes toward homosexuality are repeatedly cited as the main drivers.The trend, highlighted in recent coverage by outlets including Visegrád 24, challenges the long-standing assumption that LGBT voters form a reliable left-wing bloc. While overall LGBT support for progressive parties remains significant in many places, the data for gay men specifically shows measurable movement toward parties once viewed as hostile to gay rights.Germany: AfD Leads Among Gay RespondentsIn Germany, a large survey conducted by the gay dating platform Romeo in early 2025 asked more than 60,000 users which party they would support. Alternative for Germany (AfD) came first with 27.9 percent, ahead of the Greens at 19.9 percent. Support was even higher among younger respondents.
The poll is not fully representative—Romeo itself noted the risk of manipulation—and scientific studies of the broader LGBT population still show much lower AfD support. Nevertheless, the result has drawn sustained attention. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel, who is openly lesbian and lives with her partner and their two children, has become a visible symbol for some gay voters who prioritize border control and crime reduction over the party’s traditional social conservatism.
France: National Rally Gains Ground in France
An Ifop poll conducted for the LGBT magazine Têtu found that 27 percent of LGBT respondents intended to vote for National Rally (RN) in the first round of the 2027 presidential election. That figure represents a 10-point rise from a comparable survey three years earlier. Jordan Bardella, RN’s young leader, topped the list among this group.
Analysts note a clear gender split: gay men lean more toward RN’s security message, while lesbians remain more supportive of the left. RN continues to poll higher among the general population than among LGBT voters, yet the upward trajectory is unmistakable.
United Kingdom: Reform UK Takes the Lead
A March 2026 poll by the research group More in Common showed Reform UK as the single most popular party among gay and bisexual men, with 25 percent support. The Greens followed at 19 percent, Labour at 18 percent, and the Conservatives at 15 percent. Support among straight men was higher still (33 percent), indicating that Reform’s overall surge is simply more pronounced among gay men than previously assumed.
Spain: Vox and the Immigration Argument
In Spain, Vox leader Santiago Abascal has openly courted gay voters by arguing that strict immigration controls protect the LGBT community. The party maintains that mass migration from countries where homosexuality is criminalized or heavily stigmatized poses a direct threat to hard-won rights. A small but visible network of gay Spanish influencers and activists—sometimes labeled “homonationalists”—has begun amplifying this message, framing Vox as a defender of European liberal values against cultural imports they consider incompatible.
Why the Shift?
Across these countries, the same explanations surface. Many gay men who once aligned with the left over marriage equality and anti-discrimination laws now prioritize personal safety and neighborhood security. High-profile incidents of anti-gay violence, often involving migrants from more conservative cultural backgrounds, have sharpened these concerns. At the same time, some voters express fatigue with progressive emphasis on gender identity issues that they feel overshadows classic gay rights.
Right-wing parties have responded by softening or selectively emphasizing their positions. They rarely reverse formal opposition to same-sex marriage, yet they increasingly present themselves as pragmatic protectors of existing liberties against external threats.
Limits and Context
The data should be read carefully. Romeo’s German survey is self-selected. French and British polls still show RN and Reform less popular among LGBT voters than among the wider electorate. Lesbian voters and transgender respondents often remain more left-leaning. Broader academic surveys continue to find the majority of LGBT people on the progressive side of the spectrum.
Yet the direction of travel among gay men is clear enough to force a rethink of old political certainties. As European elections approach and debates over migration intensify, parties on both the left and the right will have to reckon with an electorate that no longer votes as a single bloc.
