Hungary Enacts Constitutional Ban on LGBTQ+ Public Events Amid Global Outcry
Hungary’s parliament has enacted a constitutional amendment that permits the government to ban LGBTQ+ public events, prompting strong backlash from human rights organizations and global observers.
The controversial amendment, supported by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s right-wing Fidesz-KDNP coalition, received approval on Monday with 140 votes in favor and 21 against, achieving the necessary two-thirds majority mainly along party lines.
The government claims the amendment aims to “protect public morals and national identity,” but opponents argue it significantly undermines civil liberties and intensifies the state’s ongoing suppression of LGBTQ+ rights.
“This amendment isn’t about morality; it seeks to silence a community and criminalize diversity,” stated Ádám Csikós, a human rights lawyer based in Budapest. It provides legal justification for restricting LGBTQ+ individuals from gathering, expressing themselves, or being visible in public.
The law extends beyond prohibiting Pride events and LGBTQ+ rallies; it rigidly defines gender as male or female, effectively denying legal recognition to transgender and intersex people. Additionally, it allows facial recognition technology to monitor unauthorized gatherings and introduces the potential for suspending Hungarian citizenship for dual nationals regarded as a “threat to national interests.”
In the lead-up to the vote, opposition lawmakers and protesters gathered outside the parliament, attempting to obstruct access. Police forcibly removed several demonstrators who had chained themselves to gates in an effort to delay the proceedings.
The international reaction has been prompt and severe. The European Commission expressed “deep concern” about Hungary’s increasing limitations on fundamental rights, while Amnesty International described the amendment as “a dark day for freedom and equality in Europe.”
Since 2018, Orbán’s government has progressively tightened controls on LGBTQ+ rights, implementing laws that ban the depiction of homosexuality in media targeted at minors and prohibiting gender recognition for transgender individuals.
Despite domestic protests and mounting pressure from the EU, the Orbán administration shows no intent to reverse its policies. The prime minister continues to position these actions as part of a broader effort to uphold “traditional Christian values” against what he labels “liberal Western ideology.”
As the ramifications of the new amendment begin to unfold, Hungary may face legal challenges from European institutions, alongside increasing domestic unrest.
