Budapest Pride

Budapest Pride Ban: Hungary's Escalating Crackdown on Civil Rights

Budapest Pride was set to celebrate its 30th anniversary on June 28 2025 - until Viktor Orbán’s government passed new legislation restricting freedom of assembly, effectively banning the parade. This marks yet another escalation in a years-long legislative assault on LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary,  immediately causing great concern amongst German and other European Liberals and LGBTQ+ advocates.

Restricting the freedom of assembly in the name of “child welfare”

For years, the Hungarian government has prioritised "child protection" as a political narrative,  under the name of protecting traditional values and children, implying that LGBTQ+ visibility harms children. This trend has consistently been used to indicate that anything which openly promotes or displays LGBTQ+ rights would have a “negative impact on the welfare of children”. The argument is based on the so-called “Act LXXIX of 2021on tougher action against paedophile offenders and amending certain laws to protect children”*. In March 2025, the government used this law as grounds to introduce a new law prohibiting Hungarian Pride marches. The argument being that the celebration of and protest for rights for the LGBTQ+ community would be harmful for children who could potentially be seeing the march.

Furthermore, it was declared that law enforcement would be able to use AI-powered facial recognition technology to identify participants of the Pride march. Additionally, the participants could be facing fines up to 500€. This is a substantial sum in a country where the average monthly income is around 1,600€. 

The implementation of the law is still in question, since it remains unclear which other gatherings could also fall under this ban. Besides, there are concerns that this law could also open the door to allow Viktor Orbán’s government to restrict other fundamental rights which do not align with their values.

International and Liberal Reactions

In the past, the European Union (EU) used budget freezes to sanction the Hungarian Government. In addition, the “Child Protection Law” of 2021 is also the subject of a legal case in front of the European Court of Justice. After the ban of Budapest Pride was passed the European Commission stated that "the right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union," and that "the Commission is closely monitoring the situation," and "will not hesitate to take action, where appropriate."

The Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib took to X to voice her support for the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary: “Our Union is one of freedom & equality. Everyone should be able to be who they are, live & love freely. The right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union. We stand with the LGBTQI community - in Hungary & in all Member States.”

In addition to the possible breaches of fundamental rights, there is also the question about the use of AI and the potential incompatibility with the European Artificial Intelligence Act.

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Svenja Hahn from the FDP voiced concern on Instagram about the use of AI to identify participants of Budapest Pride: “Even if the planned Hungarian law probably violates EU law, as participation in Pride is currently ‘only’ considered a misdemeanour, the fact that the EU has provided a template for the persecution of minorities with such surveillance-friendly laws is an absolute disaster for the civil rights of us all. If video data is not evaluated in real time but with a slight time delay, biometric surveillance is permitted to a very large extent. (…) In Hungary, we can now see the consequences of these inadequate regulations, which I have been fighting against for years. Fundamental democratic rights are under serious threat throughout Europe.”

In addition to EU politicians, Renew Europe, the liberal political group in the European Parliament, also declared that they stand with the Hungarian LGBTQ+ community: “Pride is a peaceful demonstration of equality & of the rights of the #LGBTIQ community. We won't let Orbán discriminate #LGBTIQ+ people & dismantle democracy!”

Former MP and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Gisela Piltz, took to LinkedIn to show her support for the Hungarian civil society: “During my last visit to Budapest, I was still able to protest against this policy—will that still be possible in the near future? (...) The defense of human rights is a core part of liberal values. That is why we cannot stand idly by as an EU member state increasingly transforms from a democracy into an authoritarian regime and tramples fundamental human rights—we stand with the Hungarian people.”

These are just a few examples of European organisations and politicians criticizing the ban of Pride marches in Hungary. Many more have continued to support Budapest Pride with Members of the European Parliament and other international politicians including FDP representatives planning to partake in the march on June 28 to show solidarity with the local LGBTQ+ Community and help to ensure the safety of those participating.

Most recently, as part of a cross-factional initiative, a group of MEPs published an open letter addressed tothe European Commission. In it, the group called for an immediate halt of  all financial support from Hungary. MEP Moritz Körner commented: “Anyone who cares zero about respecting EU values deserves zero EU budget.”

Opposition and Civil Society Reactions in Hungary

The current law was passed with a broad parliamentary majority, including not only the ruling Fidesz party but also the far-right Mi Hazánk party (Europe of Sovereign Nations Group, ESN) and the previously right-wing, currently rather conservative-nationalist Jobbik (European Christian Political Party, ECPP). The vote further consolidated Hungary’s hardline pivot against the LGBTQ+ community and civil liberties more broadly.

Liberal actors responded swiftly. Members of Parliament (MPs) from the liberal Momentum Movement and Ákos Hadházy, independent MP, staged protests in Parliament, drawing attention to the threat posed by the new restrictions. In retaliation, Parliament imposed record-breaking fines on the MPs and expelled them from six consecutive parliamentary sessions. This heavy-handed response was not only symbolic of the government’s zero tolerance for dissent. 

Far from backing down, Momentum and MP Hadházy launched weekly street protests, drawing thousands of citizens to defend freedom of assembly, LGBTQ+ rights, and democratic values. These protests have galvanised civil society and Hungary’s liberal opposition. Momentum’s representatives, such as party leader MP Márton Tompos and MP Katalin Cseh, have called the law a blatant breach of EU values and demanded urgent action from Brussels. Likely driven by the wave of demonstrations, Momentum saw a notable rise in popularity in March, climbing from 1% to 4% in polls. However, in April, their support had dipped again, falling to 2% among the general population and 3% among likely voters, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Hungary's liberal movement.

In a notable act of local resistance, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced that he would ensure Budapest Pride 2025 takes place despite the national ban. As mayor of the most opposition-dominated city in Hungary, Karácsony’s stand not only offers moral support but raises the possibility of local-level resistance.

The conservative TISZA Party (European People's Party Group, EPP) - the leading party in current national polls, even ahead of Fidesz - has taken a more ambivalent stance. Rather than directly criticising the Pride ban, they chose to spotlight the government’s hypocrisy, pointing to Hungary’s underfunded child welfare institutions, such as orphanages and paediatric hospitals. This allowed them to present themselves as child-focused reformers, but their silence on the law’s anti-LGBTQ+ dimension raises questions about their liberal credibility.

Constitutional Amendments

However, Orbán did not stop with adopting a law banning Pride parades. In April 2025, Hungary’s National Assembly also passed several sweeping constitutional amendments. These amendments were made possible by the governing parties’ two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, which they have held continuously since 2010, with only a brief interruption after 2015. Among the most concerning changes were provisions that: define gender strictly as “male or female” as declared at birth; elevate “child welfare” above other fundamental rights such as freedom of assembly and expression; and introduce the possibility of suspending the Hungarian citizenship of dual nationals deemed a threat to “public order” or “national security.” This latter change has raised serious concerns about potential political misuse, particularly against opposition politicians, journalists, civil society actors, and entrepreneurs with foreign ties.

This legal shift cements the government’s narrative that LGBTQ+ expression is inherently harmful to children. It not only invalidates the identities of transgender and non-binary Hungarians but also opens the door to sweeping future restrictions on any activity framed as a threat to children’s health, particularly Pride events and sexual education. In protest, Momentum organised a human chain blockade around Parliament, an evocative act of civil resistance aimed at illustrating the growing disconnect between the people and those in power. Yet the government pushed through the changes without meaningful consultation or debate, as usual, exemplifying the ongoing erosion of Hungary’s democratic checks and balances.

Furthermore, earlier constitutional changes, such as the 2020 amendment declaring that  father is male and the mother  is female,, as well as that the marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman. These also echo Russia’s legal framing and further isolate Hungary from European democratic and liberal norms. These legislative acts are not isolated — they form a coordinated strategy of legal and cultural erasure of queer identities from public life.

Previous legislative measures

The current developments build on a series of laws that have chipped away at LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary since 2018. The most consequential among them remains the so-called “Child Protection Law” of 2021, followed by a referendum. However, the referendum ultimately failed. Over 1.6 million people deliberately cast invalid ballots in a coordinated effort to reject the government's initiative. The referendum’s invalidity demonstrated that a significant portion of Hungarian society did not support the government’s policies. Nonetheless, the underlying law remains in effect and it has served as the legal backbone for banning Pride parades. This law prohibits exposing anyone under 18 to content deemed "pornographic," or which promotes "deviation from birth sex," gender transition, or homosexuality. This law has now been used as a basis for the 2025 ban on Pride. Its implementation has led to further policies, such as books featuring LGBTQ+ characters must be sealed in foil in bookshops, LGBTQ+ content is banned from schools and restricted to late-night TV slots similarly to adult-rated material. It can only be aired between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., with a warning label.

Outlook on Democracy and Civil Liberties

Recently, another law proposal was introduced by a Member of Parliament from Fidesz, entitled “On the transparency of public life” (Hungarian: A közélet átláthatóságáról) on 15th May. This law would give further power to the so-called Sovereignty Protection Office (Hungarian: Szuverenitásvédelmi Hivatal), a state agency responsible for identifying potential foreign interference in the country, to observe the sources of foreign funding of any NGOs, business organisations and newspapers. These foreign support includes funds obtained through transparent tenders, but also in-kind benefits, donations, grants, and others, from EU institutions and organisations operating in EU Member States, as well as foreign natural persons, including Hungarian dual citizens.

The law proposal identifies the work on the following topics, as threats to the Hungarian Sovereignty: 

• “damages or negatively portrays the independent, democratic, constitutional character of the country;
• questions the unity of the nation or responsibility for Hungarians living abroad;
• attacks the primacy of marriage, family and biological gender;
• undermines peace, security and cooperation with other countries;
• violates the constitutional identity and Christian culture of the country.”

The Sovereignty Protection Office is already intensely observing organisation working on LGTBQ+ rights and issues. It is expected that the work of those organisations will be under more intense review after the law passes.

On 19th May, the Justice Committee of the Hungarian National Assembly voted in favor of the law proposal. It is expected that the law will be adopted by the National Assembly in the upcoming weeks.

Conclusion

The developments in Hungary and Viktor Orbán's behaviour in the European Council have been violating fundamental rights for quite some time. But it seems that he is now no longer balancing on the line of what would be acceptable but outright restricts civil rights which are written into the EU Treaties. Hungary’s Pride ban represents a clear breach of Article 2 of the EU Treaties. The EU needs to improve its tool kit to deal with member states which seem to no longer align with the European values and norms.

Democratic actors across the EU should align on their position towards the Hungarian government. Furthermore, it is important to not lose the connections to Hungarian civil society, as historically Hungarians have been pro-European and this connection should not be lost, as there might be a future government, which will restore alignment with fundamental European values.

*Hungarian: 2021. évi LXXIX. törvény a pedofil bűnelkövetőkkel szembeni szigorúbb fellépésről, valamint a gyermekek védelme érdekében egyes törvények módosításáról