Hungary's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill amending a 2021 law targeting the LGBTQ+ community that was passed under nationalist ex-leader Viktor Orban.
The 2021 "child protection" law introduced restrictions on the "portrayal" or "promotion" of sexual and gender diversity in content accessible to children. In reality, this meant that even books addressing these topics in an age-appropriate manner could only be sold in black plastic packaging with warnings.
Critics argued that the law promoted the bigoted view automatically linking homosexuality and child abuse. The European Court of Justice had also ruled in April that it violated EU treaties.
Tuesday's amendment repeals most of the statute, except the provision protecting under-18s from sexually explicit or violent material. It passed with the support of the governining majorty, with 139 lawmakers voting for in favor and 51 against.
Will Hungary's new govt. bring real change on LGBTQ+ rights?
What brought about this change?
Hungary's longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orban was voted out of office in April. While his successor Peter Magyar is also a conservative and an immigration hardliner, he promised to break with Orban's repressive policies on media, the judiciary, and other issues.
Magyar has promised to dismantle what he calls the rampant corruption and authoritarian structures put in place under Orban's government.
"We welcome this important signal of commitment for our common values," EU commissioners Michael McGrath and Hadja Lahbib said in a joint statement. The bloc then unfroze €4.2 billion ($4.7 billion) in funding to Hungary following the vote.
Eidted by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez and Wesley Dockery
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