Hungarian lawmakers voted Tuesday to remove anti-LGBTQ provisions from a 2021 "child protection" law enacted under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Parliament approved the amendment with 139 votes in favor and 51 against.
The repealed provisions had banned the "portrayal" or "promotion" of homosexuality and gender diversity in films, television, books, and other media accessible to minors. The new law replaces those restrictions with language aimed at protecting under-18s from material that can "seriously impair the child's physical, intellectual, emotional or moral development," without reference to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who took office in May after winning a landslide victory in April elections, presented the changes as strengthening child protection standards in line with European Union regulations. Magyar's pro-European conservative TISZA party holds a two-thirds majority in Parliament, making passage of the amendment a formality.
The 2021 law had drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations, EU institutions, and member states. The European Court of Justice ruled in April that the legislation violated EU fundamental values and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The European Commission, 16 EU member states, and the European Parliament had initiated legal proceedings against Hungary over the restrictions.
Orban's 16-year tenure saw Hungary adopt some of Europe's most restrictive policies toward LGBTQ rights. The 2021 child protection law was originally framed as strengthening penalties for child abuse but was subsequently expanded to prohibit the promotion of homosexuality to anyone under 18. The law was later used as justification for banning pride parades.
Tamas Dombos, a representative of the human rights organization Hatter Society, said the removal of restrictions on LGBTQ content access "is certainly an important and positive step forward."
EU officials welcomed the decision. European Commissioners Michael McGrath and Hadja Lahbib stated in a joint statement that the vote represents "an important signal of commitment to our common values" and noted that LGBTQ rights are fundamental rights in the EU.
Opposition parties Fidesz and Mi Hazánk voted against the amendment. Magyar criticized their opposition on Facebook, saying their lawmakers had voted against legislation designed to improve child protection and rights.
Human rights advocates noted that while the repeal of these specific provisions marks a significant shift, other discriminatory measures from the Orban era remain in Hungarian law.