The Hungarian government submitted a bill to change anti-LGBTQ laws to Parliament

The Hungarian government has submitted a bill to Parliament designed to change the anti-LGBTQ laws for minors that were passed under the leadership of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. These laws were introduced in 2021 as an amendment to existing regulations regarding child protection and banned the promotion of homosexuality to individuals under 18. These laws indirectly led to the prohibition of pride marches as well.

Criticism of Current Laws

The existing laws have faced severe criticism from activists and European Union leaders, particularly for creating negative labels for the LGBTQ community and linking same-sex relationships to child abuse. This criticism has prompted the Hungarian government to consider changing these laws.

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The bill submitted to Parliament on Monday seeks to remove phrases related to the prohibition of "promoting" or "showing" homosexuality and gender transition for minors. With this change, these laws will refer to content concerning children that could "severely harm the physical, mental, emotional, or moral development of the child."

New Position of the Prime Minister of Hungary

Péter Márki-Zay, the conservative Prime Minister who won the elections in April and ended Orbán's 16-year rule, has stated that these laws will be enforced "regardless of sexual orientation" and will align the country with EU regulations. He emphasized: "We take a firm and tough stance on media content accessible to minors that promotes sexual violence, manipulation, and exploitation."

Last April, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the current laws violate the EU's "very identity." Following this ruling, the Hungarian police issued permits for this year's pride marches, which had been banned under Orbán's government last year.

On Saturday, Márki-Zay also announced that the government is considering changing a law that has allowed married couples to adopt since 2020, effectively barring same-sex couples from adoption. This decision could lead to greater openness for LGBTQ rights in Hungary.

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