Hungary's parliament has voted to amend child protection laws, removing measures that had been criticized for stigmatizing LGBTQ+ individuals. The move marks a significant shift from the policies of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party.
The 2021 Child Protection Law, enacted by the Fidesz majority, had prohibited the "portrayal or promotion of homosexuality or transgenderism." This legislation affected various aspects of Hungarian law, including education and assembly rights.
Following Orbán's electoral defeat in April, the new Tisza government, led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, has been working to dismantle the legacy of the previous administration. The Tisza party now holds a two-thirds majority, mirroring Fidesz's previous parliamentary power.
Activists, including Tamás Dombos of the Háttér Association, have welcomed the changes, though they call for further reforms. "We've been fighting this so-called child protection law for five years," Dombos stated. "There have been problems with the bill submitted to parliament, but most of those problems have been fixed."
While both Fidesz and Tisza have centered their platforms on child protection, their approaches differ. Fidesz under Orbán had aligned child protection with conservative values, often framing LGBTQ+ people as a threat to public morals. The Tisza government, however, is focusing on softening or removing legislation without explicitly aligning with liberal pro-equality stances. Prime Minister Magyar has stated his duty is to represent all Hungarians and acknowledged the sensitivity surrounding LGBTQ+ issues.
The vote to amend the laws occurred shortly after Budapest announced that the European Union had agreed to release €4.2 billion in frozen funds. The European Commission had previously indicated that the Magyar government had addressed several "rule of law breaches affecting the EU budget."
The child protection issue gained prominence during Orbán's tenure, notably when his government supported the pardon of an official found guilty of covering up child abuse crimes at a children's home. This became a significant point of public criticism.
Budapest Pride marches have also seen shifts. In June 2025, a march proceeded without restrictions, a contrast to previous years where official bans were in place, though police did not intervene.
Fidesz and its allied Christian Democrats voted against the recent amendments. The Christian Democrats released a statement asserting that "There is no place for the promotion of LGBTQ content in schools or the media."
Activists like Dombos see this as a step forward, moving from a period where the community felt targeted to one where "at least they are listening on the other side." However, they continue to advocate for broader changes, including the full recognition of same-sex marriage, adoption rights for same-sex couples, and the restoration of the right for transgender individuals to change their names on official documents.