Ursula von der Leyen has called on Hungary to lift the ban on Budapest’s pride and allow March to take place this weekend, allowing them to “go ahead without fear of crime or administrative sanctions against organizers or participants.”
The appeal represents her most direct intervention in a new showdown between the European Commission and the government of Victor Orban.
“To the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary and beyond: I will always be your side. You have every reason to be proud,” the committee president said in a video message posted on social media on Wednesday evening.
“Europe is stronger and richer thanks to you. I’m by your side. Today and every day.”
With extremely controversial laws Approved in the springthe Hungarian Parliament has banned public events that are deemed to be in violation of Child Protection Act. This significantly limits the portrayal of homosexuality and gender reallocation to minor audiences.
This text allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to organize and identify people attending prohibited events, and earn fines (485 euros) for up to 200,000 Hungarians. If not paid, the fine can be collected as tax.
Under the law, police later banned the celebration of Budapest’s pride. This is because it occurs “in the presence of people under the age of 18.” The government suggested that it could be held in enclosed places, like stadiums, instead.
Budapest’s liberal mayor, Karak Sony, took a rebellious tone and announced a celebration of an umbrella event called “Freedom Day” to bypass the ban.
“Budapest City Hall will be holding the Budapest Pride March as a local event on June 28th. Period,” Karak Sony said last week.
In her message, von der Leyen joined the cause and expressed her “full support and solidarity” to the Hungarian LGBTIQ+ community.
“In Europe, marching for your rights is fundamental freedom. You have the right to love the person you want to love and to be precise about who you are,” she said.
“Our unions are one of equality and non-discrimination. These are our core values encompassed by our treaties. They must always be respected in all member states.”
Orban leads self-described, “illegal” governments and regularly engages in culture wars. I answered Immediately on her video.
“Dear President Madame, I urge the Commission to refrain from interfering with law enforcement issues in member states that have no role to play,” he said.
“I call on the Commission to focus efforts on the pressing challenges facing the European Union: when it has a clear role and responsibility, and where serious mistakes have been made in recent years, such as the energy crisis and the erosion of European competitiveness.”
Von Der Leyen and Orbán are scheduled to meet for the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.
The committee has not yet announced legal action against Hungary, but is analyzing new elements of the law that touch on various aspects. (Child Protection Act is the subject of another case that has reached the European Court of Justice.)
In addition to the possibility of a violation of fundamental rights, the prohibition is Artificial Intelligence Lawwhich sets strict restrictions on how law enforcement can deploy facial recognition.
Due to headline controversy over the ban, Budapest’s pride is expected to attract a record number of international visitors to the Hungarian capital.
European Commissioner of Equality Haja Rabib and a delegation of more than 70 members of the European Parliament will also be present.
This article has been updated with more information.
