Hungarian Parliament Removes Anti-LGBTQ Clauses from 2021 Child Protection Law

Hungarian lawmakers voted on Tuesday to remove provisions from the 2021 Child Protection Law that banned the portrayal or promotion of homosexuality and gender reassignment in material accessible to minors. The amendment passed 139 to 51, with the governing Tisza party providing the votes and Fidesz opposing.

The original law, adopted under Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government, required books addressing homosexuality or transgender identities to be wrapped in opaque plastic in shops and equated certain content with risks to children. It also enabled restrictions on public events. The European Court of Justice ruled in April that the provisions violated EU treaties. Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government, which took office after the April election, has treated the change as part of a broader package to reverse Fidesz-era measures.

Minutes after the vote, officials in Budapest stated that the European Union had agreed to release €4.2 billion in funds frozen during the later years of the Orbán government. The European Commission had earlier indicated that the new government had addressed several rule-of-law concerns linked to the EU budget. Fidesz and its Christian Democratic allies voted against the amendment, describing it as a response to external pressure that weakened child protection. Civil rights groups such as Háttér Society welcomed the change while noting that other Orbán-era laws on assembly and education remain in force.

The revised text shifts the focus to shielding those under 18 from pornography, depictions of sexual violence, and other material that could seriously impair physical, intellectual, emotional, or moral development. It no longer singles out sexual orientation or gender identity. The vote occurred six months after Magyar’s landslide victory ended Orbán’s 16 years in power. Budapest Pride had proceeded this year without the restrictions attempted in 2025.

The change removes a specific legal barrier that the Court of Justice had flagged, but it leaves intact other statutes that activists say continue to limit public discussion of sexual and gender diversity. Magyar has described the issue as sensitive and stated that his duty is to represent all Hungarians. Implementation details for the new standard on harmful content have not yet been published.

The parliamentary majority allows Tisza to pass such measures without opposition support. Further bills targeting remaining Fidesz-era restrictions on education and assembly are expected in the coming weeks. The release of the frozen funds will depend on continued compliance with the Commission’s remaining conditions.