Thousands of Hungarians gathered in Budapest on Tuesday to protest against a law aimed at prohibiting the annual Pride march organized by LGBTQ+ groups. Critics view this legislation as part of a broader effort to undermine democratic freedoms in the lead-up to the 2026 parliamentary elections.
Right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is facing significant opposition from a rising political party ahead of the elections, has openly criticized the LGBTQ+ community and vowed to limit foreign funding for independent media and NGOs in Hungary.
Last month, the parliament, which is largely controlled by Orban’s Fidesz party, enacted a law banning the Pride march, claiming it could be detrimental to children. Orban, who has held power since 2010, advocates a Christian-conservative agenda.
The new law permits police to utilize facial recognition technology to identify attendees and impose fines on participants, a move that critics argue could be used to target Orban’s political adversaries.
Orban has asserted that the occurrence of protests like Tuesday’s indicates that democracy is not under threat, labeling the opposition’s demonstrations against the law as “provocation.”
Nevertheless, some protesters at the rally, the third in response to Orban’s reforms, expressed worries about the state of democracy in Hungary more than twenty years after its accession to the European Union.
A coalition of embassies in Budapest, including those from European nations but excluding the United States, has also voiced concerns regarding the legislative changes.
“We, the undersigned Embassies, are deeply troubled by the legislation…that imposes restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” stated 22 embassies, including those from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
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Organizers of the Pride march maintain that the event poses no risk to children and are determined to proceed with the celebration despite the ban.
