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Euronews
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
MEPs protest Hungary's Budapest Pride ban
A cross-party group of Members of the European Parliament is preparing to travel to Hungary to protest the government's decision to ban this year's Budapest Pride, organisers confirmed on Friday during a press conference in Brussels, urging the Commission to take legal action. Last month the Hungarian parliament passed an amendment to the constitution codifying the law that the ruling party fast-tracked in March, banning public events that are considered to be in breach of the Child Protection Act, which heavily restricted depictions of homosexuality and gender reassignment. Events held by the LGBTQ+ community, such as the yearly Pride parade in Budapest that draws thousands of visitors, were prohibited under the new law. Activists and MEPs are urging the European Commission to take immediate legal action to overturn the ban. They recommend two main steps: requesting interim measures from the Court of Justice of the EU as part of the ongoing infringement procedure against Hungary's 2021 anti-LGBTIQ+ law, and launching a new infringement procedure specifically targeting the restriction on freedom of assembly. During a press conference for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, the MEPs argued the ban is part of a broader clampdown on civil liberties and a violation of EU law. 'We will be marching on June 28th on the streets of Budapest. No matter what, we will not comply with this illegal ban,' said Viktória Radványi, President of Budapest Pride. 'We haven't seen any action from the European Commission in the past two months... So we are here today in Brussels to talk about this issue and to see what type of concrete legal actions we can see from the Commission.' Radványi urged the Commission to use existing legal tools, including requesting interim measures in the ongoing infringement procedure against Hungary's 2021 anti-LGBTIQ+ law. 'This current ban on Pride marches is just a verbatim extension of the 2021 propaganda law,' she said. The European Court of Human Rights has previously ruled that banning pride events breaches human rights protections. In 2017, the Court criticised Russia's pride ban and considered that 'by adopting such [anti-LGBTI propaganda] laws the authorities reinforce stigma and prejudice and encourage homophobia, which is incompatible with the notions of equality, pluralism and tolerance inherent in a democratic society". 'By banning Pride, the Hungarian government wants to silence opposition,' said Marc Angel, S&D MEP and co-chair of the LGBTIQ+ Intergroup. 'Next Tuesday in LIBE committee, there will be an important vote on this year's rule of law report and the EPP group has requested separate votes on all paragraphs that include the LGBTQI+ rights,' he said, referring to language on same-sex marriage, gender recognition and conversion practices. He urged centre-right MEPs to support progressive amendments and called on the press to monitor the outcome, which will be finalised during a mini plenary session in Brussels on Thursday. A delegation of MEPs from across the political spectrum from The Left to the European People Party is expected to join Pride march in Budapest next month. The final list has not yet been confirmed an parliamentary assistant told Euronews. 'We are at a crossroad right now,' said Dutch Green MEP Kim van Sparrentak, adding: 'We're at a point where we're really going to see whether the European Commission is really going to act and not only talk about the fact that we're promoting European values and we stand for a union of equality.' Activists from Romania, Bulgaria and Italy warned that the situation is not limited to Hungary, citing rising violence, legal crackdowns and public hostility against LGBTIQ+ people across the region. This week, ILGA-Europe, a Brussels-based NGO advocating for queer rights, published its annual ranking of 49 European countries, assessing them on a scale from 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) to 100% (full respect for human rights and equality). Hungary is ranked 37 of 49 countries - the lowest the country ever been on the ranking. Russia and Azerbaijan are at the bottom of the list, while Malta and Belgium lead the ranking.
Euronews
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
EU countries decry Hungary's Pride ban as Brussels considers legal action
ADVERTISEMENT The political backlash against Hungary's new law banning the public celebration of Pride parades continues to intensify, with a growing number of countries coming forward to denounce the legislation as an attack against human rights and the right to assembly. Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the so-called Benelux countries, issued a statement of condemnation during an informal meeting of equality ministers on Wednesday, several diplomats told Euronews. The Dutch minister spoke on behalf of the group. "We are concerned about the laws passed in Hungary that undermine LGBTIQ+ rights and restrict the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," they said. "Respecting and protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, including LGBTIQ+ people, is inherent in being part of the European family. It is our responsibility and shared by the member states and the European institutions." Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden supported the Benelux statement. During the meeting, which took place in Warsaw, France issued a "strongly worded" rebuke on its own, a diplomat indicated, while Greece and Cyprus spoke critically about "recent developments" across the bloc, using broad language that did not mention Hungary but was understood to be about the same issue. The pushback comes after the Hungarian parliament passed an amendment to the constitution codifying the law that the ruling party fast-tracked in March. That law banned public events that are considered to be in breach of the Child Protection Act, which heavily restricted depictions of homosexuality and gender reassignment. Events held by the LGBTQ+ community, such as the yearly Pride parade in Budapest that draws thousands of visitors, were prohibited under the new law. The text will allow authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who organise and attend forbidden events, leading to fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (€485). If not paid, the fines will be collected as taxes. Additionally, the constitutional amendment approved on Monday declares that children's rights take precedence over any other fundamental right (except the right to life) and recognises two sexes, male and female, which effectively denies transgender and intersex identities. The amendment also enables authorities to suspend, under certain circumstances, the dual citizenship of some Hungarian nationals. Budapest vs Brussels The sweeping changes fit in with Viktor Orbán's agenda. The self-described "illiberal" prime minister has repeatedly attacked what he calls "woke ideology," introducing legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, migrants and civil society. "We're protecting children's development, affirming that a person is born either male or female, and standing firm against drugs and foreign interference," he said after the vote in parliament. "In Hungary, common sense matters." Orbán's contentious initiatives have deepened the chasm between Budapest and Brussels. Earlier this week, the European Commission voiced support for the LGBTQ+ community and said it would take legal action "if necessary" after examining the law. "For the moment, we need to analyse the (constitutional) changes because it covers several topics and we need to look at them very carefully to be able to see from the perspective of European law," a spokesperson said. ADVERTISEMENT The spokesperson did not provide a timeline to initiate proceedings. Besides possible breaches of fundamental rights, the Pride ban is also under scrutiny for its potential incompatibility with the Artificial Intelligence Act , which lays out strict limitations on how law enforcement can deploy facial recognition. If a lawsuit were to happen, it would add to a string of open fronts. The Child Protection Act, the 2021 law that underpins the Pride ban, is already the subject of a legal case before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) launched by the Commission in conjunction with 15 member states . (The list of supporting countries is almost identical to the one that backed the Benelux statement in Warsaw.) ADVERTISEMENT Separately, the Commission has sued Hungary over its controversial "National Sovereignty Law" and is deducting a daily €1 million fine imposed by the ECJ over an "unprecedented" failure to comply with EU migration and asylum rules. The subtraction is applied to Hungary's allocated share of the EU budget. At the same time, Orbán's adoption of Russian-friendly positions has antagonised both the Commission and the majority of member states. Last month, Orbán was the only leader who refused to endorse joint conclusions on Ukraine . This year alone, Hungary has threatened twice to block the renewal of sanctions against Russia, leading diplomats and officials to consider a Plan B in case the veto happens in late July. Moreover, Hungary is the only country that opposes Ukraine's membership bid, going as far as launching a public consultation on the matter. The billboards promoting the poll feature the face of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. ADVERTISEMENT
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hungary bans Pride parades in escalating clampdown on LGBTQ rights
Budapest (dpa) — Hungary's parliament has approved a ban on annual Pride parades advocating for LGBTQ rights, further tightening restrictions on expressions of non-heterosexual identity in public. Lawmakers passed the proposal in an emergency session on Tuesday, with 137 votes in favour and 27 against in the 199-member parliament. The measure was introduced by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's right-wing populist government. The vote triggered protests inside the chamber, where opponents of the law set off smoke bombs as the result was announced. Thousands of people demonstrated in Budapest afterwards following a call by opposition party Momentum. Orbán had already signalled the crackdown in a February speech, warning Pride organizers that preparing for this year's parade would be "a waste of time and money." For decades Budapest has held a Pride parade, usually in July. Under the new law, staging or participating in a banned parade in the EU country will be classified as an administrative offence punishable by fines of up to 200,000 forints ($545). Both organizers and participants could face penalties. Authorities plan to use facial recognition technology to identify violators. The measure amended Hungary's Assembly Act to prohibit gatherings that breach the country's so-called Child Protection Act. Although Pride events are not explicitly named, parliamentary debates made clear they fall under the new restrictions. Hungary's 2021 Child Protection Act already bans access by minors to information about non-heterosexual lifestyles. Books, films and other media containing LGBTQ content must not be made available to children under the law. The government is also preparing a constitutional amendment that would legally define every person as either male or female, excluding recognition of non-binary individuals. Since 2020, Hungary's constitution has stipulated that a mother can only be a woman and a father can only be a man. The measures are part of a broader push by Orbán's government to restrict LGBTQ rights, drawing sharp criticism from human rights groups and the European Union.
Euronews
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Hungary's clampdown on Pride march sparks backlash
NGOs and human rights activists in Hungary have condemned the government's proposed clampdown on this year's Pride march in Budapest. In a speech last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hinted that his administration would crack down on the event, saying it would be "a waste of time and money" for its organisers to make their usual preparations. Then on Thursday, Gergely Gullyás, the Hungarian minister who runs Orbán's office, spoke more explicitly. 'There will be no Pride in the public form in which we have known it in recent decades," he said at a press conference. "We believe that the country should not tolerate Pride marching through the city centre." Gullyás claimed the move was being made to "protect children". Critics hit out at the government, saying the proposal was a clear breach of citizens' rights. Viktor Szalóki, the political director of the Hungarian NGO aHang, said banning the public event would violate people's rights to free assembly and expression. Meanwhile, the organisers of Budapest Pride, now in its 30th years, have vowed defiance. "There was Pride, there is Pride, and there will be Pride," they said. "Basically, we think that if the law on assembly is tampered with in any way, it would be an admission that Hungary is no longer a democracy," Zita Hrubi, the spokesperson for Budapest Pride, added. Sexual minorities have long been targeted by the Orbán government. Critics of the so-called "Child Protection Act", introduced in 2021, said it equated homosexuality with paedophilia. Since 2019, the Hungarian constitution has prohibited same-sex couples from adopting children and defines marriage as only between a man and a woman.
Euronews
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Hungary's clampdown on Pride march met with defiance
NGOs and human rights activists in Hungary have condemned the government's proposed clampdown on this year's Pride march in Budapest. In a speech last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hinted that his administration would crack down on the event, saying it would be "a waste of time and money" for its organisers to make their usual preparations. Then on Thursday, Gergely Gullyás, the Hungarian minister who runs Orbán's office, spoke more explicitly. 'There will be no Pride in the public form in which we have known it in recent decades," he said at a press conference. "We believe that the country should not tolerate Pride marching through the city centre." Gullyás claimed the move was being made to "protect children". Critics hit out at the government, saying the proposal was a clear breach of citizens' rights. Viktor Szalóki, the political director of the Hungarian NGO aHang, said banning the public event would violate people's rights to free assembly and expression. Meanwhile, the organisers of Budapest Pride, now in its 30th years, have vowed defiance. "There was Pride, there is Pride, and there will be Pride," they said. "Basically, we think that if the law on assembly is tampered with in any way, it would be an admission that Hungary is no longer a democracy," Zita Hrubi, the spokesperson for Budapest Pride, added. Sexual minorities have long been targeted by the Orbán government. Critics of the so-called "Child Protection Act", introduced in 2021, said it equated homosexuality with paedophilia.
