Hungary’s ruling Fidesz Party, led by anti-LGBTQ+ Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has introduced a bill aiming to ban Budapest Pride—just months before the event’s 30th anniversary.
The proposed legislation, submitted to parliament on 17 March, would:
📌 Fine Pride organisers and attendees up to 200,000 forints (NZD $900)
📌 Classify the event as harmful to children under Hungary’s “child protection” laws
📌 Authorize police to use facial-recognition cameras to identify attendees
Despite these threats, Pride organisers remain determined to march on 22 June, stating that this crackdown only reinforces why Budapest Pride is needed now more than ever.
Hungary’s Escalating War on LGBTQ+ Rights
Orbán’s government has been systematically rolling back LGBTQ+ rights for years.
🚫 In 2021, Hungary passed a law banning discussions of LGBTQ+ people in schools and media, mirroring Russia’s “anti-propaganda” bill.
🚫 In 2024, Orbán reaffirmed his stance, declaring that “no money in the world” would make him accept what he calls LGBTQ+ propaganda.
🚫 Queer couples cannot adopt, and transgender men are denied legal gender recognition.
Global Pushback Against Hungary’s LGBTQ+ Crackdown
Last year, over 30,000 LGBTQ+ people and allies marched at Budapest Pride, including U.S. Ambassador David Pressman. Pressman, who is gay and has twin sons, accused Orbán of using a “machinery of fear” to marginalise queer people.
The EU has launched legal action against Hungary and frozen funding over its anti-LGBTQ+ laws, but Orbán remains defiant.
What’s Next?
With Budapest Pride just months away, the global LGBTQ+ community is watching closely. If the bill passes, Hungary will become the first EU country to ban a Pride march outright—a chilling escalation of its anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
