Tens of thousands gathered in Budapest on Saturday for the 31st annual Budapest Pride parade, marking the first LGBTQ+ march since the election of Prime Minister Péter Magyar and the defeat of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Orbán's government, during its 16 years in power, had implemented numerous policies viewed as anti-LGBTQ+ and had sought to ban the event.
The march proceeded under soaring temperatures, reaching at least 38 C (100 F) during a heatwave gripping Europe. Organizers provided water to attendees, and city fountains were opened along the parade route. Participants began their walk near the Opera house, moving through the city center and across the Erzsébet Bridge.
Some participants noted a more relaxed atmosphere compared to previous years. Luca Új, a third-time Pride attendee, stated that the mood felt happier and that more older individuals were present, attributing this shift to the change in government. Last year, Orbán's government passed legislation and a constitutional amendment to outlaw the event, a move that drew criticism from human rights organizations and EU politicians. Despite the ban, the 2023 Pride march proceeded and was reported as the largest in Hungary's history, with estimates of over 350,000 attendees, which was seen as a significant blow to Orbán's political standing.
Orbán was defeated in the April election by Péter Magyar's center-right Tisza party. While the new government has not repealed the legislation that previously outlawed Pride, authorities authorized this year's event and provided security. Kristóf Györgyi, a first-time participant who traveled from Szeged, expressed optimism that the new government would take steps to extend rights to sexual minorities. He cited ongoing parliamentary discussions regarding same-sex adoption as a positive indicator, suggesting a shift from the previous government's stance that banned same-sex adoption and marriage.
Previously, Orbán's government had contended that Pride events violated children's rights to moral and spiritual development, a claim rejected by rights groups and experts. In April, the EU's highest court ruled that a 2021 law restricting LGBTQ+ content for minors violated EU law and a treaty on human rights and equality.