Hungary’s parliament has passed a controversial new law banning Pride events and allowing authorities to use facial recognition software to identify attendees.
The legislation, approved on Tuesday, has sparked widespread protests in Budapest, with thousands taking to the streets in defiance.
Protesters gathered outside the Hungarian parliament, chanting anti-government slogans before marching onto Margaret Bridge over the Danube, where they staged a blockade and ignored police orders to disperse.
The law, part of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ongoing crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights, was passed in a 136-27 vote.
It was supported by Orbán’s nationalist-populist Fidesz party and their coalition allies, the Christian Democrats. Rushed through parliament in an expedited process, the measure mirrors similar restrictions imposed in Russia under President Vladimir Putin, one of Orbán’s close allies.
Opposition lawmakers protested the vote with a bold display inside the legislature, setting off rainbow-colored smoke bombs.
Fears of Escalating Repression
Among those protesting outside parliament was Evgeny Belyakov, a Russian immigrant who fled to Hungary after experiencing repression in his home country. He voiced concerns that Hungary was following a path similar to Russia’s.
“It’s quite terrifying to be honest, because we had the same in Russia. It was building up step by step, and I feel like this is what is going on here,” he said. “I just only hope that there will be more resistance like this in Hungary, because in Russia we didn’t resist on time and now it’s too late.”
What the Law Entails
The legislation amends Hungary’s assembly laws, making it illegal to hold or participate in events that violate the country’s contentious “child protection” law. That 2021 measure prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors.
Under the new provisions, individuals attending banned events could face fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546), with collected funds directed toward “child protection” initiatives.
Authorities have also been granted permission to use facial recognition technology to identify and penalize attendees.
Budapest Pride organizers condemned the law, accusing the government of targeting the LGBTQ+ community to silence dissent.
“This is not child protection, this is fascism,” they wrote in a statement on Monday.
Following the law’s passage, Budapest Pride spokesperson Jojó Majercsik said the crackdown had only galvanized support for LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary.
“Many, many people have been mobilized,” Majercsik said. “It’s a new thing, compared to the attacks of the last years, that we’ve received many messages and comments from people saying, ‘Until now I haven’t gone to Pride, I didn’t care about it, but this year I’ll be there and I’ll bring my family.’”
The new restrictions are the latest in a series of laws pushed by Orbán’s government, which has faced mounting criticism from European leaders and rights organizations.
In 2022, the European Commission took Hungary to the EU’s highest court over its 2021 “child protection” law, arguing that it discriminates against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The controversial law bans LGBTQ+ representation in media accessible to minors, including television, film, advertisements, and books. It also prohibits discussions on LGBTQ+ issues in schools and restricts public depictions of “gender deviating from sex at birth.”
Booksellers have faced fines for failing to wrap LGBTQ+ books in sealed packaging, further fueling concerns that the government is attempting to erase LGBTQ+ visibility. Critics argue that by framing these measures as “child protection,” Orbán’s administration is falsely equating homosexuality with threats to minors.
The Hungarian government, however, insists the policies are meant to shield children from what it calls “sexual propaganda.”
Political Distraction Amid Economic Struggles?
Observers suggest the timing of the law may be politically motivated. Hungary has been grappling with economic challenges, including inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, and Orbán faces a difficult election in 2026.
The government’s tactics closely resemble those used by Putin, who in 2022 expanded Russia’s ban on “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” to apply to adults, effectively criminalizing public LGBTQ+ advocacy.
Tamás Dombos, a coordinator at Hungarian LGBTQ+ rights group Háttér Society, believes the crackdown is a deliberate attempt to shift public attention away from pressing economic and social issues.
“It’s a very common strategy of authoritarian governments not to talk about the real issues that people are affected by: the inflation, the economy, the terrible condition of education and health care,” Dombos said.
He warned that granting authorities the power to use facial recognition at banned events could set a dangerous precedent, enabling further crackdowns on dissent.
Orbán, he added, “has been here with us for 15 years lying into people’s faces, letting the country rot basically, and then coming up with these hate campaigns.”
