In its legal index of equality, the campaigning body ranked Luxembourg eighteenth among 49 European countries which were scored on human rights and equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe.

Within civil society, Luxembourg scored top marks, while equality had been achieved in 89% of family rights. However, Luxembourg lagged behind with regards to LGBTI asylum rights (17%) and local gender recognition and bodily integration (16%). Just over a quarter of goals with regard to equality and non-discrimination and hate crime and hate speech had been achieved, the report read.

“Disappointingly, there was no progress reported on the three recommendations for policymakers included in last year’s annual review--gaps in laws on asylum, the bodily integrity of intersex people and equality action plans all remain the same,” the report author wrote.

White House photo furore

The LGBTI cause received widespread exposure in May 2017 when a photo of the prime minister’s husband, Gauthier Destenay, posing with the spouses of fellow Nato heads of state or government, was posted on the White House Facebook page. Destenay’s name had been omitted from the caption, prompting widespread criticism. His name was later added.

The same month, Luxembourg drafted a bill to reform the legal gender recognition process. The proposal introduces the concept of self-determination for adults and children and removes “abusive requirements such as sterilisation,” the report said. The bill had yet to be debated.