BUDAPEST, Hungary — On Tuesday, a contentious new law banning Pride events and granting authorities the power to employ facial recognition software to identify attendees was enacted in Hungary, triggering large-scale protests in the nation’s capital, Budapest.
In response to the legislation, thousands of demonstrators surged into the streets, chanting anti-government slogans directly outside Hungary’s parliament. Protesters subsequently occupied the Margaret Bridge over the Danube River, blocking traffic in a bold display of defiance against police orders to vacate the area.
The legislative move by Hungary’s parliament marks a severe escalation in the government’s ongoing efforts to suppress the country’s LGBTQ+ community. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his nationalist-populist policies, has aligned himself closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, pushing for measures in line with their stances.
The law, which mirrors similar anti-LGBTQ+ restrictions enforced in Russia, was passed with a decisive 136-27 vote. The ruling party, Fidesz, along with its minor coalition ally, the Christian Democrats, fast-tracked the legislation through parliament within a day.
As a form of protest within the legislature, opposing lawmakers released rainbow-colored smoke bombs, symbolizing their resistance to the law’s implications.
Outside parliament, Evgeny Belyakov, a Russian expatriate seeking refuge in Hungary, remarked on the legislation’s infringement on the fundamental right to peaceful assembly. “It’s quite terrifying, to be honest, as we witnessed a similar trajectory in Russia,” he shared. “This incremental repression is reminiscent of what we faced there, and I earnestly hope for robust resistance here in Hungary before it’s too late.”
The specifics of the law amend Hungary’s assembly regulations, making it a punishable offense to organize or participate in events deemed in violation of the “child protection” law. This controversial legislation restricts the portrayal or endorsement of homosexuality to minors under 18. Violators could face hefty fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546), which is to be allocated towards “child protection” efforts. Furthermore, the law authorizes the utilization of facial recognition technology to identify individuals at these unauthorized gatherings.
In an official statement, Budapest Pride organizers condemned the law, arguing it scapegoats the LGBTQ+ community to quiet dissent. “This isn’t about child protection; it’s a step towards fascism,” they declared. The annual event, which attracts thousands, is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ movement’s history and a call for equal rights.
Following the law’s ratification, Jojó Majercsik, a spokesperson for Budapest Pride, disclosed that despite Prime Minister Orbán’s protracted campaign to marginalize LGBTQ+ citizens, there has been significant public support since he intimated February intentions to ban such events. “We’ve witnessed significant mobilization,” Majercsik noted. “Previously indifferent individuals are now reaching out, expressing their commitment to attend Pride with their families this year.”
This latest legislation is part of Hungary’s intensified measures against LGBTQ+ individuals under Orbán, drawing criticism from human rights groups and European political figures for its repressive nature.
In 2022, the European Union’s executive arm brought Hungary before the EU’s highest court regarding the 2021 “child protection” law, challenging it on grounds of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Beyond prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality to minors, the legislation bans any mention of LGBTQ+ issues within school curriculums and publicly depicting “gender deviating from sex at birth.” Booksellers can face severe penalties if they display books with LGBTQ+ themes without proper packaging, a policy critics argue seeks to erase LGBTQ+ visibility and falsely equates homosexuality with pedophilia.
The Hungarian government maintains its policies are essential to shield children from “sexual propaganda.”
Some experts believe Orbán’s strategies mirror those of Putin, who expanded Russia’s ban on nontraditional sexual relations to include adults in 2022, outlawing public endorsement of LGBTQ+ activities.
Facing mounting challenges from rising opposition and economic woes, including high inflation and a difficult living conditions, Orbán is perceived by some as using the legislation to divert public attention from pressing national issues ahead of the 2026 election. Tamás Dombos, of the Háttér Society, an LGBTQ+ rights organization in Hungary, claims the government is making minority groups a scapegoat.
“Authoritarian regimes often sideline genuine crises facing citizens,” Dombos remarked, listing economic, educational, and health system struggles. “Orbán has misled this country for 15 years, fostering decay while leveraging hate campaigns to shift focus from immediate issues.”
