Hungary Bans Pride: Escalating Attacks on Democratic Freedoms

The ruling Fidesz-KNP government reminded Hungarian politics of its two-thirds parliamentary majority on Tuesday the 18th of March 2025 by voting against public PRIDE parades in Hungary. In a move that caused widespread retaliation, Orbán’s government voted to limit publicly held LGBTQ+ events and introduce facial recognition technology to fine those that plan to attend.

While questions remain over whether the government can impose collective fines on those attending PRIDE, many remain vigilant. Public fundraising has already helped pay fines given to Momentum Mozgalom MPs for disrupting the controversial vote with smoke bombs.

PRIDE was first held in Budapest in 1997 and has been an annual event since. While it serves as an important celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and a platform for advocating for equal rights, PRIDE also plays a vital role in upholding the freedom of assembly and broader human rights in Hungary.

However, proposed constitutional changes—framed under the guise of ‘protecting children’—now threaten the right to public gatherings that go against the official position of Government. Limiting PRIDE parades with this rhetoric was unsurprising, given Hungary’s President Katalin Novák’s controversial pardon of a convicted sex offender in early 2023.

In response to Tuesday’s vote, spontaneous protests gathered on Budapest’s busiest bridge on the same night. Mayor of Budapest, Karácsony Gergely was also quick to reaffirmed his position, stating clearly that this years PRIDE will be “bigger than ever”. Rising political contender, Magyar Péter, on the other hand preferred to focus on calls for political reform in the run up to the upcoming 2026 elections.

Tuesday’s decision marks another escalation by Orbán’s Fidesz government, leveraging constitutional powers and populist rhetoric to erode rule of law. As Hungary moves toward the critical 2026 elections, attacks on LGBTQ rights, are paving the way for further restriction on freedom of assembly in Hungary. Yet, the quick public outrage and ongoing political backlash demonstrate a clear divide in Hungarian politics and promise for change in Hungary’s upcoming election.