Renew Europe condemns the retrograde adoption of a new law by the Hungarian Parliament today banning the dissemination of ‘content that promotes LGBTIQ rights and sexual education’ to minors, including any discussion or depiction of gender change or homosexuality in schools and in the media. The new law, cynically conflating LGBTI rights with legislation intended to combat child abuse, is a replica of the Russian law in force since 2013 banning LGBTIQ “propaganda”, and will, just like in Russia, become a tool of harassment and discrimination against LGBTIQ people.
Our group stands in solidarity with all those protesting for their rights in Hungary today. We call on the European Commission and the European Council to review these developments and assess whether they are in keeping with EU law and policy. It is past time for the European Commission to act to maintain the rights and freedoms of Hungarian citizens, who are also EU citizens.
Anna Donath, Member of Renew Europe and the Hungarian Party Momentum Movement, says:
“The law is incompatible with the fundamental values of European democratic societies as well as the values of the Hungarian citizens and is only the latest of many shameful attacks on LGBTIQ rights by Viktor Orbán’s government. The stigmatising witch-hunt has to stop now – homophobia and transphobia do not have a place in Europe. We need more European examples and more acceptance instead of Russian examples of propaganda laws.”
“In March, Renew Europe successfully organised a campaign, resulting in a resolution in the European Parliament, declaring the EU an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone. Our group now expects the European Commission to act immediately and unambiguously”, she concludes.