Hungary Amends Child Protection Law Amid Calls for Further LGBTQ+ Reforms

The Hungarian parliament has voted 139 to 51 to repeal controversial 2021 legislation that restricted the portrayal of homosexuality and gender reassignment in materials accessible to minors. The move follows pressure from the European Union and coincides with the release of previously frozen EU funding. Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government introduced these amendments as part of a broader effort to dismantle legal frameworks established under the previous administration of Viktor Orbán.

While several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Hungary and the Háttér Society, welcomed the repeal, they argue that significant legal barriers remain. Critics point out that Hungary’s constitution, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, continues to prevent same-sex marriage and joint adoption. Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups have urged the government to address these constitutional provisions and remove remaining restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights, such as those affecting legal gender recognition and public demonstrations like Pride marches.