In 2012,
Jobbik MP
Ádám Mirkóczki introduced a constitutional amendment to the Parliament seeking to ban "the promotion of sexual deviations". The amendment would punish the "promotion of homosexuality or other disorders of sexual behaviour" with up to eight years in prison. LMBT Federation, a Hungarian LGBT advocacy group, protested against the amendment and called on Parliament to reject it. The
Democratic Coalition also voiced their opposition and called it "mean and shameful". The amendment ultimately failed to pass. In November 2016, the small Hungarian town of
Ásotthalom passed a law banning "gay propaganda", Muslim call to prayer and Muslim clothing. Mayor
László Toroczkai (
Our Homeland) called on Christians locals to support a "holy war on Muslims and multiculturalism". In April 2017, after a lawsuit challenging the ban was filed, the Constitutional Court struck down the ban, ruling that it violated human rights law as it aimed to "limit directly the freedom of speech, conscience and religion". In June 2018, the
Hungarian State Opera House cancelled 15
Billy Elliot performances, after pro-government newspaper
Magyar Idők claimed that the show could
turn children gay. However other 29 Billy Elliot performances would be held as planned. In November 2020, the town of
Nagykáta adopted a resolution
banning the dissemination and promotion of so-called "
LGBT propaganda".
2021 child protection law In June 2021, a bill was introduced in the National Assembly to criminalize the dissemination of content promoting "‘divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change, or homosexuality" to persons under the age of 18. On 15 June, the bill was passed by a vote of 157–1. President János Áder signed the bill into law on 23 June 2021, and it came into effect on 1 July. A Hungarian government spokesperson claimed the ban is intended to prevent children from accessing content that "[they] can misunderstand and which may have a detrimental effect on their development". Per the law, a decree was issued to require stores offering children's books containing homosexuality or gender transition content to seal them in a "closed wrapping" and place them away from other books, and prohibiting their sale at any location within 200 metres of a church or school. The
National Media and Infocommunications Authority similarly issued guidance stating that films and television programmes where homosexuality or gender transitions are a "defining feature" would not be considered suitable for viewers under the age of 18. The law faced criticism from human rights groups, which argued that the bill infringed upon freedom of expression, would prevent minors from being able to access resources and support, and would harm their mental health. David Vig of
Amnesty International compared the bill to Russia's similar
LGBT "propaganda" law, arguing that it "[would] further stigmatize LGBTI people, exposing them to greater discrimination in what is already a hostile environment." In July 2021, it was reported that the European Commission would file two lawsuits challenging the law, with one suit alleging that it violated freedom of expression, and was inconsistent with the EU's
Audiovisual Media Services Directive and
Electronic Commerce Directive. The second challenged the government's efforts to censure a children's book published by
Labrisz, in violation of the
Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. The Commission initiated infringement proceedings against Hungary on 15 July, and subsequently issued a reasoned opinion on 2 December 2021, highlighting the country’s failure to meet its obligations under various EU directives and articles concerning audiovisual media services, electronic commerce, internal market services, data protection, and fundamental rights.With Hungary's response deemed unsatisfactory, on July 15, 2022, the Commission referred Hungary to the
European Court of Justice. As of April 2023, 15 member states had joined the suit as third-parties, making it the largest civil rights case in EU history.'''''' The government would hold a
referendum on LGBTQ topics in children's education on 3 April 2022 alongside the
2022 elections. The referendum was countered by Amnesty International Hungary, Háttér Society, and 12 other civil rights organizations mobilizing over 1.7 million people; the referendum did not reach the threshold of 50% valid votes in order to pass. The rapid spread of similar anti-LGBTQ laws, particularly in
EU member states (
Bulgaria, August 2024) or
candidates (
Georgia, October 2024), reinforced the argument that the EU’s failure to decisively penalize Hungary for its 2021 law demonstrated weakness, created a sense of impunity, and provided a confidence boost to other governments proposing or adopting similar anti-LGBTQ laws. Human rights organizations like
All Out,
ILGA-Europe, and
Human Rights Watch have argued that the EU's reaction was either too slow, not forceful enough, or failed to use all available mechanisms promptly. On 22 April 2026, the European Court of Justice
ruled that the law violated Article 1 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and Article 2 on the
Treaty on European Union, and ordered the Hungarian government to amend or repeal the legislation to comply with European law. The court found that the law violated the
fundamental rights of LGBTI residents by discriminating and scapegoating against them, and that the law was "contrary to the very identity of the Union as a common legal order in a society in which pluralism prevails". It marked the first time that either article had been invoked in a ruling by the European Court of Justice. The law sparked a protest outside Parliament which was attended by several thousand. The protesters chanted anti-government slogans and staged a blockade of the Margaret Bridge over the Danube, blocking traffic and disregarding police instructions to leave the area. On 3 June 2025, the Budapest police denied permits for the 30th edition of
Budapest Pride to be held on 28 June, citing the law. The police argued that "it cannot be ruled out, or is even inevitable, that a person under the age of 18 will be able to engage in legally prohibited conduct" should they attend the march. Organizers responded by calling the decision "textbook example of tyranny" and vowed that the event would go on as planned. Mayor of Budapest
Gergely Karácsony attempted to reclassify the parade as a "municipal celebration" of the
1991 withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Hungary which, therefore, did not require a permit, but Budapest police asserted that Budapest Pride remained "banned". The parade saw between 100,000 and 200,000 participants and no arrests, in comparison to 35,000 in 2024, placing it among the country's largest anti-governmental protests; attendees protested both in support of LGBT rights, and in opposition towards the
Orbán government. ==Living conditions==