Europe13 April, 20261 min read
Hungary Returns To Eurovision After Viktor Orbán's Anti-LGBTQIA+ Rule Ends
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Hungary enacted an anti-LGBTQIA+ law restricting minors' access to homosexual content. EU leaders debated the law as a challenge to core European values.
Hungary's Eurovision Return
Hungary is poised to rejoin the Eurovision Song Contest after a seven-year absence. Newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar championed the return as reclaiming European values.
The country withdrew in 2019 under Orban, who considered the contest a showcase of values he tried to combat. Orban's decade-long rule was marked by far-right policies and authoritarianism, including a vendetta against LGBTQIA+ rights.
Orban's Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legacy
Orbán's government framed its approach as defending Christian values and protecting children. The 2021 legislation restricted depiction of homosexuality and gender diversity in schools and media accessible to minors. The European Union launched legal action over the law, with the European Parliament condemning it as a breach of fundamental rights.
The United Nations called for Hungary to repeal the law and combat intolerance and discrimination. Under Orbán, legal gender recognition was effectively ended, and constitutional changes limited adoption to married heterosexual couples. Magyar has not publicly supported the LGBTQIA+ community and campaigned primarily on corruption and everyday issues.
EU Pressure and Legal Mechanisms
The European Council discussed Hungary's anti-LGBT law. Rutte invited Orbán to activate Article 50 to withdraw from the Union if he does not share its founding values. The Commission can open an infringement procedure and bring a case before the Court of Justice of the EU.
The Union has a mechanism to suspend payments from the EU budget in case of a breach of the rule of law. Hungary and Poland have filed an appeal with the European Court of Justice. Article 7 can suspend some rights of the Member State until the suspension of the right to vote in the Council.