Lithuanian parliament refuses to vote on controversial ‘denigration of family’ bill

The bill, drafted last year by the notoriously anti-LGBT MP Petras Gražulis, proposed introducing fines for “public denigration of family, a constitutionally enshrined value, by way of statements, displays of things, posters, slogans, audiovisuals and other actions”. According to critics, the piece of legislation is a thinly-veiled attempt to ban LGBT pride marches.

After the liberal MP Eligijus Masiulis proposed on Thursday to remove the bill from the parliament’s agenda, saying it was an affront to democracy and Lithuania’s international reputation, 64 members voted in favour of the motion, ten opposed and 25 abstained.