Hungary Parliament Repeals Most Anti-LGBTQ Provisions in 2021 Law

Hungary's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday amending the 2021 "child protection" law, repealing most of its provisions that restricted the portrayal of sexual and gender diversity. The vote marks the first significant reversal of policies enacted under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban since the election of his successor, Peter Magyar.

Legislative Changes and Voting Results

The amendment passed with 139 lawmakers voting in favor and 51 against. The governing Tisza party holds a two-thirds majority, allowing the bill to pass without opposition support. Orban's Fidesz party voted against the amendment, accusing the government of "neutering" the original law due to pressure from the European Union.

The 2021 law had banned the "portrayal" or "promotion" of sexual and gender diversity in content accessible to children. In practice, this required books addressing these topics to be sold in black plastic packaging with warnings. The new legislation removes these restrictions. Instead, it aims to protect under-18s from material that can "seriously impair the child's physical, intellectual, emotional or moral development."

Szilvia Gyurko, State Secretary at the Ministry of Social and Family Affairs, stated the goal was to "move away from a flawed paradigm, linking child protection in any way to sexual orientation or gender identities, and shift to a framework that is truly about children and protecting children."

Political Context and EU Response

The change follows the April election in which Peter Magyar won a landslide victory, ending Viktor Orban's 16-year rule. While Magyar is a conservative and immigration hardliner, he has promised to dismantle what he calls the "rampant corruption and authoritarian structures" established under Orban. Magyar did not address LGBTQ rights during his campaign but has since indicated a willingness to revise some Orban-era policies. Ahead of the vote, he framed the changes not as a restoration of rights but as a strengthening of child-protection rules "regardless of sexual orientation."

The European Union welcomed the vote. EU commissioners Michael McGrath and Hadja Lahbib said in a joint statement, "We welcome this important signal of commitment for our common values." Following the vote, the bloc unfroze €4.2 billion ($4.7 billion) in funding to Hungary.

Remaining Legal Challenges

Despite the repeal, human rights groups note that other discriminatory laws remain in place. The European Court of Justice ruled in April that the 2021 law violated "the very identity" of the EU. Tamas Dombos from the Hatter Society rights group called the amendment "definitely an important and positive step forward" but emphasized that "there is still a lot to do."

Dombos noted that laws preventing legal recognition for transgender people and adoption for same-sex couples remain unchanged. Human Rights Watch pointed out that the bill did not address discriminatory language in Hungary's constitution, the Fundamental Law, or restrictions in the Freedom of Assembly Act that have been used to prohibit Pride marches.

Why it matters

This legislative shift represents a major pivot in Hungary's domestic policy and its relationship with the European Union. By aligning with the European Court of Justice's ruling, the new government has unlocked billions in frozen EU funds. However, the persistence of other restrictive laws suggests that the full restoration of LGBTQ rights in Hungary remains an ongoing process rather than a completed transition.

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Sources

• dw.com: Hungary: Lawmakers scrap Orban-era anti-LGBTQ+ provisions
• afp.com: Hungary cuts anti-LGBTQ measures from Orban-era law | AFP.com
• kuwaittimes.com: Hungary to reverse Orban-era anti-LGBTQ legislation

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.