Hungary's government has submitted a bill to parliament aimed at amending anti-LGBTQ rules for minors that were introduced under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The existing law, enacted in 2021, prohibited the 'promotion of homosexuality' to individuals under 18 and was also used to ban Pride marches. Activists and leaders within the European Union criticized the law for stigmatizing LGBTQ individuals and associating same-sex relations with pedophilia.
The new bill seeks to eliminate references to the 'promotion' or 'display' of homosexuality and gender transition in the 2021 legislation. Instead, it would address material that could 'seriously impair the child’s physical, intellectual, emotional or moral development.'
Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who took office in April, stated that the revised rules would apply 'regardless of sexual orientation' and would align Hungary with EU regulations. He emphasized the government's commitment to a strict stance against media content accessible to minors that promotes sexual violence, manipulation, and exploitation.
In April, the European Court of Justice ruled that the original law violated the identity of the European Union. Following this ruling, Hungarian police authorized this year’s Pride marches, which had been prohibited under Orban’s administration. Additionally, Magyar mentioned that the government is considering changes to a 2020 law that restricted adoption to married couples, effectively barring same-sex couples from adopting.