What's changing
Laws on gender-based violence are being written, debated, and delayed across Europe right now. These are the moments where pressure matters most. We track what's in motion so you know where — and when — your voice can count.
Last updated: November 2026. We update this periodically, not daily.
Sent 29 October 2026
VERA has written to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet calling on the government to recognise violence against women and girls as the national emergency it is, and to commit in writing to seven concrete measures — on reporting, protection, the family courts, structural funding, and the country's obligations under the Istanbul Convention and the EU Directive.
14 June 2027 — transposition deadline
Every EU country must turn the 2024 Directive on violence against women into national law by 14 June 2027. It sets minimum rules on cyber-violence, forced marriage, and support for victims. Watch whether your government meets the deadline.
Resolution adopted 28 April 2026
The European Parliament voted 447–160 to call on the Commission to propose EU-wide legislation defining rape by the absence of consent. The resolution is not binding: the Commission decides whether to put a law forward.
Agreed 7 May 2026
EU institutions agreed, on a Spanish proposal backed by France, to prohibit AI systems built to generate non-consensual sexual deepfakes as part of the reform of the AI Act.
Parliament research briefing, May 2026
Parliament's research service records more than 1,000 femicides a year in the EU and notes there is still no EU-level femicide offence. Recognition is being pushed for, not yet proposed.
Public consultation closed September 2026
A bill to make psychological violence and coercive control a crime was in public consultation over summer 2026 (closed early September). The government is now reviewing responses before sending it to the Council of State and Parliament.
Launched 2024 — being implemented
The national plan launched in 2024 and is being implemented, with the coercive-control bill as one of its outputs. Campaigners are pushing for it to go further.
Promulgated 6 November 2025
French law now defines rape and sexual assault as a sexual act without consent, with consent described as free, informed, specific, given in advance and revocable. The reform followed the Pelicot trial and is being watched closely elsewhere.
Law 181/2025 — in force 17 December 2025
Italy added a new offence of femicide to the criminal code, carrying a life sentence for the gender-motivated killing of a woman, alongside changes to stalking and domestic-abuse provisions.
Law 53/2026 — published 23 April 2026
Romania defined femicide and intimate femicide in national law and set obligations on prevention and data collection.
Enacted 21 July 2026
The Domestic Violence Judgments Register Act 2026 creates a public register of judgments in domestic-violence-related convictions, amending several existing criminal and domestic-violence laws.
Crime and Policing Act 2026, section 99
Making, adapting or supplying tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images is now an offence in the UK, punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.
Strategy announced December 2025
The UK announced a strategy in December 2025 to halve violence against women in a decade, and is rolling out Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (covering coercive control, stalking and economic abuse) across England and Wales.
Renewed 2025 — measures funded through 2026
Spain's cross-party State Pact against Gender Violence was renewed in 2025; by early 2026 about half of its 461 measures were in place, with more funded for 2026.
Law passed 2023 — scientific committee launched late 2025
Belgium's 2023 Stop Féminicide law is being implemented; a scientific committee to analyse femicides launched in late 2025, though campaigners say progress is fragmented.
Bundesrat resolution, 10 July 2026
The Bundesrat asked the federal government to bring forward a consent-based reform of sexual offences, replacing the 2016 “no means no” model. The resolution is advisory: the federal government decides whether to legislate.
Seimas vote to advance, 5 June 2026
Parliament advanced a criminal-code package merging rape and sexual assault into one consent-based offence, after a citizens' petition gathered more than 44,000 signatures. It is not yet enacted.
Parliamentary vote, 11 July 2025
Parliament voted to reclassify rape as a public crime, so it can be prosecuted without a complaint from the victim. We have not been able to confirm the final entry into force.
In force since 1 July 2024
Revised sexual criminal law recognises freezing and shock as refusal and creates a stealthing offence, but stops short of a full consent model. Campaigners continue to argue for “only yes means yes”.
Saeima vote 31 October 2025 — sent back by the President
Parliament voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention barely a year after it entered into force. The President refused to sign and returned the bill; in December 2025 the Venice Commission said withdrawal would be legally possible but must be properly justified and consulted. The outcome is not settled.
Passed 26 September 2025
Parliament amended the constitution to recognise only two sexes and to assert national sovereignty over cultural and ethical matters ahead of international human-rights obligations. Rights bodies place it in the same wave as treaty exits, though it does not itself change Slovakia's position on the Istanbul Convention.
Withdrew 2021 — no move to rejoin
Türkiye left the Istanbul Convention in 2021. Women's organisations continue to count femicides since the withdrawal and to campaign for the country to rejoin. Their monitoring is currently the main public record.
Referral withdrawn, 30 January 2024
The challenge to the Istanbul Convention before the Constitutional Tribunal was withdrawn by the government, confirming Poland stays in the Convention. We found no new move against it since.
GREVIO visit May 2025
Ukraine ratified the Istanbul Convention in 2022. Council of Europe monitors visited in 2025 and Ukraine submitted an addendum to its baseline report, assessing implementation under wartime conditions.
Elections are when politicians listen hardest. Ask candidates what they'll do about gender-based violence — and vote accordingly.
Already held in 2026: Portugal (presidential, January), Slovenia (March), Denmark (March), Hungary (April), Bulgaria (April), Cyprus (May), Malta (May), Kosovo (June) and Sweden (September).
Latvia
Parliamentary · 3 October 2026
Held while the vote to leave the Istanbul Convention is still unresolved.
What you can doBosnia and Herzegovina
General · 4 October 2026
Serbia
Parliamentary · Expected October 2026, date not fixed
Estonia
Parliamentary · By 7 March 2027
Finland
Parliamentary · 18 April 2027
France
Presidential · 18 April 2027
A major moment to put gender-based violence on the agenda.
What you can doSerbia
Presidential · Expected by 1 May 2027
Latvia
Presidential (chosen by parliament) · Expected by May 2027
Montenegro
Parliamentary · Expected before 30 June 2027
Greece
Parliamentary · Expected by July 2027
Spain
General · Expected by August 2027
Slovakia
Parliamentary · Expected by September 2027
Slovenia
Presidential · Expected around October 2027
Switzerland
Federal · 24 October 2027
Poland
Parliamentary · Expected by November 2027
Italy
Parliamentary · Expected by December 2027
Croatia
Parliamentary · Expected 2027 or 2028
Andorra
Parliamentary · Expected 2027
Türkiye
Presidential and parliamentary · Expected April or May 2028
Lithuania
Parliamentary · Expected October 2028
Iceland
Parliamentary · Expected by November 2028
Romania
Parliamentary · Expected 2028
Luxembourg
Parliamentary · Expected 2028
North Macedonia
Parliamentary · Expected 2028
Cyprus
Presidential · Expected 2028
European Parliament
EU-wide election · 7–10 June 2029
The one vote held across the whole Union.
What you can doAlbania
Parliamentary · Expected by June 2029
Norway
Parliamentary · September 2029
United Kingdom
General · By 15 August 2029, may be earlier
Austria
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Belgium
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Czechia
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
France
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Germany
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Ireland
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Netherlands
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Portugal
Parliamentary · Expected 2029
Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Slovenia, Sweden
Parliamentary · Expected 2030
Bosnia and Herzegovina
General · Expected 2030
Ukraine
Presidential and parliamentary · Postponed
Elections cannot be held under martial law. No date exists yet.
Dates marked “expected” are the end of a term or a window set by law, not confirmed polling days. Early elections can and do happen.
See a change we've missed, or an election we should add? Tell us.