LGBT Senior’s News on the Positive Side- by Cora Berke: Hungary Comes Through

News on the Positive Side- by Cora Berke

“Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference.”- Jane Goodall

On April 21, 2026, the European Union’s top court in Luxembourg ruled against Hungary’s anti- LGBTQ+ rules, making this the first move toward equality since 2021. Supported by 15 countries and the European Parliament, the court said,” We welcome today’s landmark ruling judgment of the court. This is the first time that the court finds such a violation of a key treaty provision on the EU values.”

The Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, enacted this legislation in 2021, banning children from accessing LGBTQ+ content. The high court in Luxembourg argued that this was a shame and extended beyond to discriminating against the entire LGBTQ+ community. Pride Parades were banned and police were able to use face-recognition cameras for those in attendance. LGBTQ+ books, films and theater performances were also banned, all under the guise of protecting children.

The court stated, “Hungary has significantly deviated from the model of a constitutional democracy based on a value judgment that homosexual and non-cisgender life is not of equal value or status as heterosexual and cisgender life.”

Last year in Budapest, in defiance of the government ruling, over 100,000 people turned out for the Pride Parade in June, which was the largest in Hungary’s history. The Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony co-organized the event and said, “Neither freedom, nor love can be banned, and the Budapest Pride cannot be banned either”. He was later charged for breaking the law and said, “Either we are all free together, or none of us are”.

Eszter Mihaly, LGBTQ+ Rights Officer at Amnesty International Hungary helped organize last year’s Pride event. She spoke of Budapest’s Pride Parade which began in 1997, originally a small gathering under heavy police surveillance.

Mihaly said, “I envision a future in which LGBTQ+ individuals are not perceived as outsiders or threats to society but are instead embraced as integral members of all communities.”

In this year’s Parliament Election, Viktor Orban lost to Peter Magyar, the center-right candidate and leader of the Tisza party. There was a record turnout of voters, signaling that the people of Hungary wanted a change.

Orban conceded defeat after Magyar’s party won 68% of the seats in parliament. Magyar will become the next Prime Minister of Hungary in May 2026.

During his campaign, Magyar did not take a stance on LGBTQ+ rights. However, in his victory speech he said, “Hungary wants to be a country where no one is stigmatized for thinking differently, or for loving someone different from the majority, or for believing something different from the majority.” He also supported Pride Parades as the right to assemble.

Although Hungary still has a way to go to recover from Orban’s 16-year rule, there is renewed hope for the LGBTQ+ community that love over hate will prevail.