The government of Hungary, under Prime Minister Peter Magyar, has introduced a bill aimed at repealing existing regulations that prohibit the “promotion of homosexuality” among minors, which were established during Viktor Orban’s tenure. According to reports, this legislative initiative was announced on Monday.
The proposed changes seek to eliminate legal provisions from 2021 that restricted the “promotion” of homosexuality and gender change for minors. These regulations had been utilized to ban Gay Pride marches in the country.
The new rules will apply “regardless of sexual orientation,” aligning Hungary’s legislation with that of the European Union, as stated by Prime Minister Magyar.
Magyar emphasized the government’s commitment to a hardline stance against media content accessible to minors that promotes sexual violence, manipulation, and exploitation.
Under Orban, Hungary adopted some of the most restrictive policies in Europe regarding the LGBT+ community. In April, the European Court of Justice ruled that the law, which Orban’s government had framed as an enhancement of existing child protection laws, was incompatible with EU rights.
Critics, including human rights activists and opponents of Orban, argued that the law stigmatized the LGBT+ community and conflated homosexual relationships with pedophilia.
Potential Amendments to Adoption Laws Under Review
On Saturday, Prime Minister Magyar announced that his government is also considering amendments to a 2020 law that effectively bans adoption by same-sex couples. Until the end of 2020, same-sex couples were allowed to adopt in Hungary, provided that one partner applied as a single individual.
The 2020 law, enacted by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party, mandated that adoption requests from single individuals be approved by the Minister of Family Affairs, effectively creating a de facto ban.
Magyar stated during a press conference that the system would be changed: decisions regarding child adoption should not be made by politicians but by professionals capable of assessing the conditions necessary for a child to have a happy and harmonious life in society.
