Hungary President Tamas Soyok has signed a law proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling party that will prohibit LGBTQ+ communities to march pride, challenging criticism of human rights organizations saying that it restricts freedom of meeting.
Protesters blocked a bridge in downtown Budapest on Tuesday night after Parliament approved the measure, accelerating a law proposed by the right-wing party Fidesz de Orban on Monday (17).
President Tamas Suming, a former chief of the Constitutional Court who was elected to the widely ceremonial position a year ago by the parliamentary majority of Fidesz, signed the law. His office did not answer Reuters questions on Wednesday (19).
The law prohibits pride on the grounds that it can be considered harmful to children and says police can use face recognition cameras to identify people who attend the event, imposing fines on participants.
Orban, who is dealing with an economy in difficulty and an unprecedented challenge of a new opposition party before the 2026 elections, has long criticized the LGBT community.
His policies often put him in disagreement with the rest of the European Union.
Hadja Lahbib, the EU commissioner for equality, said in X that “the right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be defended throughout the European Union.”
Our union is one of Freedom & Equality.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE WHAT 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.
– Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) March 18, 2025
Michael O’Flaherty, Commissioner of the Council of Europe for Human Rights, an independent institution that promotes human rights in Europe, commented that it was “very concerned” with the new law and on Tuesday (18) at night asked Southok to veto it.
Budapest’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karacsony, also criticized the law and said that this year’s pride “could be bigger than ever.”
The organizers said they planned to continue this year’s march – scheduled for June 28 – despite the ban.
“Budapest is the city of Liberty, there will be pride,” said Karacson.
Orban, in office since 2010, has also promised to repress foreign financing to independent media and NGOs, encouraged by the actions of his ally, US President Donald Trump.
This content was originally published in despite protests, president of Hungary signs law prohibiting LGBT stop on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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