The European Union’s top court has delivered a historic victory for LGBTQ+ rights, ruling that all member states must recognize same-sex marriages lawfully performed in any EU country. In a decision announced on November 25, 2025, the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) held that refusing to acknowledge such marriages is “contrary to EU law” because it infringes fundamental rights – specifically the freedom of movement and the right to respect for private and family life.