Hungary's parliament has passed a constitutional amendment that allows the government to ban public events organized by LGBTQ+ communities, including Pride marches. The amendment, which passed with 140 votes in favor and 21 against, emphasizes the protection of children's physical, moral, and spiritual development over other rights, and recognizes only two sexes, male and female.
The law also permits authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals attending prohibited events, with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546) for violators.
The government argues that the measures are necessary to protect children from what it calls "woke ideology" and "gender madness." Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has praised the legislation, stating, "We won’t let woke ideology endanger our kids."
Ahead of the vote, opposition politicians and protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage, but were forcibly removed by police. Opposition lawmakers used air horns to disrupt the vote.
Embassies of left-wing and liberal-led European nations, including those of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, signed an open letter expressing significant concern over the ban, claiming that it restricts the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
However conservative leaders, pro-family and children's rights advocates praise the law as a necessary measure to combat LGBTQ degeneracy and indoctrination of children by degenerate adults in Hungary.