Hungary Moves to Amend Controversial Anti-LGBTQ Law to Meet EU Standards

Hungary’s government has submitted a bill to parliament designed to amend the anti-LGBTQ rules for minors that were originally introduced under former nationalist leader Viktor Orban.

The legislation, initially enacted in 2021 as an add-on to existing child protection regulations, prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” to individuals under the age of 18 and was subsequently used to ban Pride marches.

The move drew widespread criticism from activists and leaders throughout the European Union for stigmatizing LGBTQ people and drawing a parallel between same-sex relations and paedophilia.

Under the newly submitted bill, references that explicitly ban the “promotion” or “display” of homosexuality and gender transition to minors would be removed. Instead, the regulations will target material determined to “seriously impair the child’s physical, intellectual, emotional or moral development.”

Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who secured an election victory in April to conclude Viktor Orban’s 16-year tenure, stated that the updated guidelines would apply “regardless of sexual orientation” to ensure the nation complies with EU regulations.

“We take an uncompromisingly strict stance against media content accessible to minors that promotes sexual violence, manipulation and exploitation,” Prime Minister Peter Magyar noted.

This legislative shift follows an April ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), the EU’s top tribunal, which determined that the previous law violated the fundamental identity of the bloc. Consequently, Hungarian police permitted this year’s Budapest Pride march after last year's event was prohibited under Viktor Orban’s administration.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Peter Magyar indicated on Saturday that the administration is reviewing a 2020 law restricting adoption solely to married couples, a measure that effectively barred same-sex couples from adopting.