Hungary Moves to Amend Anti-LGBTQ Law in Bid to Meet EU Standards

Hungary’s government has submitted a new bill to parliament seeking to amend controversial anti-LGBTQ legislation affecting minors, with authorities saying the changes are intended to bring the country’s laws more closely into line with European Union standards.

The legislation, originally introduced in 2021 under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was incorporated into Hungary’s existing child protection laws.

It prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” to people under the age of 18 and imposed restrictions on the presentation of LGBTQ-related content to minors.

The law became a major source of tension between Hungary and the European Union, while LGBTQ rights organisations and activists accused the government of discriminating against sexual minorities and reinforcing negative stereotypes about LGBTQ people.

The legislation was also subsequently used by authorities to restrict Pride events in Hungary, with Pride marches facing increasing legal and administrative barriers under Orban’s government.

Under the new bill submitted on Monday, references in the 2021 legislation to the “promotion” or “display” of homosexuality and gender transition to minors would be removed.

Instead, the amended legislation would focus on content considered capable of “seriously impairing” a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional or moral development.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the proposed changes would ensure that the rules apply regardless of a person’s sexual orientation and would help bring Hungary into compliance with European Union regulations.

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

The proposed amendment comes months after the European Court of Justice, the EU’s highest court, ruled in April that Hungary’s LGBTQ legislation breached fundamental European principles.

The court said the legislation violated what it described as the “very identity” of the European Union.
Following the ruling, Hungarian authorities authorised Pride marches to take place this year, after such events had been banned the previous year under Orban’s administration.

The issue has remained politically sensitive in Hungary, with the government continuing to stress the importance of protecting children from inappropriate content, while critics argue that such measures have disproportionately targeted LGBTQ communities.

In another possible policy shift, Magyar said on Saturday that his government was also considering changes to a 2020 law that restricted adoption to married couples.

The regulation had effectively prevented same-sex couples from adopting children.

The proposed legal changes could therefore represent a broader shift in Hungary’s approach to LGBTQ-related policies, particularly as the government seeks to address its obligations under EU law and respond to criticism from European institutions.

The bill will now have to go through Hungary’s parliamentary process before any amendments become law.

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