Hungary passes law to ban LGBT+ Pride gatherings

Hungary has passed a constitutional amendment allowing authorities to ban LGBT+ public events such as Pride marches a move seen as another step toward authoritarianism by the country’s populist government.

- ALASTAIR JAMIESON

Opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade entrances to parliament ahead of the vote yesterday. Inside, air horns were used in an attempt to disrupt the vote.

The amendment codifies a law fast-tracked through parliament in March that bans public events held by LGBT+ communities, including the popular Pride event in Budapest that draws thousands annually. It declares that children’s rights to moral and spiritual development supersede any other right, including that to peacefully assemble.

Nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban, in power since 2010, faces elections in 2026 with the economy struggling and a new opposition party posing the strongest challenge yet to his rule. The constitutional amendments are part of Mr Orban’s political campaign to boost his core voter base and also lure votes from the far right, some analysts said.

Mr Orban has pledged to crack down on foreign funding of independent media and non-governmental organisations in Hungary while scaling up his political campaign against the LGBT+ communities.

That law also allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend prohibited events – such as Budapest Pride – and can come with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (£450).