Gay voters in the LGBTQ+ community have undergone an ideological shift in the last decade in countries like France, Germany, or the United Kingdom and now largely support far-right parties. This shift was noticed even earlier in the United States and was dubbed by author Jasbir Puar as "homonationalism," rooted in anti-immigrant sentiment post-9/11.
In Europe, the precursor of this trend was the Dutch populist politician Pim Fortuyn, who was assassinated during the 2002 election campaign by a left-wing activist. Fortuyn, openly gay, advocated for gay rights while also criticizing immigration and Islam, which he considered "a threat to social liberalism."
In France, a recent Ifop survey for the magazine Têtu revealed last spring that the National Rally (RN) has become the preferred choice for LGBTQ+ voters in the upcoming 2027 presidential elections. Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella's party would win 27% of the gay community's votes in the first round, 10 points more than just three years ago.
The survey also reflected the increasing polarization at the polls among homosexuals, following a trend even more pronounced than among the rest of the French population. Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France Insoumise is the favorite party of 25% of the LGBTQ+ community, a significant increase from 15% since 2022.
French gays are thus leaning towards both the far right and the far left, equally abandoning the traditional right of The Republicans, the Socialist Party (which legalized same-sex marriage), and, above all, the centrist candidates and heirs of Macronism, including Gabriel Attal, the openly gay former prime minister.
"National Rally attracts right-wing gay voters satisfied with acquired rights, while also drawn to its security program," warns François Kraun, Ipsos' opinion director, highlighting a "gender gap" between homosexuals and lesbians, with the latter more inclined to vote for Jean-Luc Mélenchon's far-left because he is perceived as "the candidate most sensitive to women's rights."
According to Paul Cébille, director of Hexagone magazine, the shift of gays towards the far right "is relativized and explained by the current economic reality and a specific security threat related to immigration, more prevalent in urban areas."
In Germany, a survey by the dating site Romeo also revealed this year that Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the preferred voting option for gays, with 27.9% of preferences. On the other end, The Greens garner 19.9% support.
In the German case, the fact that AfD's leader, Alice Weidel, is openly lesbian, in a relationship with a woman from Sri Lanka (Sarah Bossard) and mother of two daughters, also plays a role. The contradiction between her personal life and her provocative statements has been intertwined in her political career, such as when she said, "immigration consists of women in burkas and veils, men with knives living off welfare, and people who are good for nothing."
In the United Kingdom, the anti-immigrant stance of Nigel Farage and Reform UK confirms as the main choice for gay voters, with 25% of voting preferences. 19% lean towards The Greens, 18% towards the Labour Party, and 15% towards the Conservative Party. Interestingly, Reform UK is also the preferred party of heterosexual women.
In Spain, according to a 2025 Europa Press survey, 60% of the gay community (estimated at around three million voters) leans towards left-wing parties, although the same survey shows an increase from 7.1% to 9.1% in support for Vox.
"There will come a time when most Spanish gays will vote for Vox," declared Santiago Abascal to Cuatro channel, predicting support for their tough stance on immigration. "We are the only party that wants to kick out those who want to throw them off a roof or hang them from a crane."