Hungary’s president signed a law put forward by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling party that prohibits the LGBTQ+ community from conducting their annual Pride march. This law has faced backlash from human rights groups for restricting the freedom of assembly.
Following the enactment of this legislation, protesters gathered on a central Budapest bridge on Tuesday evening.
This action came swiftly after the law, introduced by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party, was expedited through parliament on Monday.
President Tamas Sulyok, who previously served as chief of the Constitutional Court and was appointed to his current role by the Fidesz-controlled parliament last year, officially signed the law.
The legislation specifically outlaws Pride marches on the assertion that they might pose a risk to minors.
It also authorizes the use of facial recognition technology by police to identify attendees and allows for the imposition of fines on those who participate.
Orban, currently navigating through an economic downturn and facing significant opposition from a newly formed rival party as the 2026 elections approach, has consistently expressed opposition towards the LGBT community.
His stance frequently places him in conflict with broader European Union policies. EU Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib, commented on platform X that “the right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union.”
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed deep concerns about the legislation and made a late appeal on Tuesday to President Sulyok, urging him to veto the law.
Budapest’s progressive mayor, Gergely Karacsony, also denounced the law and projected that this year’s Pride, set for June 28, might draw an unprecedented crowd. Despite the prohibition, organizers are determined to proceed with the march as planned.
