Hungary’s president Tamas Sulyok signed a law proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling right-wing Fidesz party that bans LGBTQIA+ people from holding Pride parades.
The fast-tracked legislation, passed in a day, was praised by Orban, who – typical of extremist right-wing politicians who do not believe in granting human rights to LGBTQIA+ people – said that Pride-related events are harmful to children, though no proof was presented related to this claim. “We won’t let woke ideology endanger our kids.”
Hungary had been holding Pride parades for the past 30 years in Hungary.
This is, however, not the only anti-LGBTQIA+ act of Orban’s government.
In 2020, Hungary abolished its legal recognition of transgender people. In 2021, a law was passed to ban the depiction of homosexuality to people under 18 years old.
But under the new law, it is now “forbidden to hold an assembly in violation” of the aforementioned 2021 legislation. Those who will be found to violate this new law (e.g. Pride organizers and attendees) will be fined up to 500 euros ($545; £420). Hungary’s police are also allowed to use facial recognition technology to identify possible Pride-related offenders.
Commenting on the passage of the new law in Hungary, the European Union’s commissioner for equality, Hadja Lahbib, said it counters the “fundamental right” to peaceful assembly in the 27-nation bloc.
“We stand with the LGBTQI community – in Hungary & in all Member States,” Lahbib posted on Twitter/X. “The right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union.”
