Hungarian lawmakers have passed a deeply controversial constitutional amendment that critics say significantly escalates Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s clampdown on dissent, LGBTQ+ rights, and democratic norms.
Hungary has passed another deeply controversial constitutional amendment that targets the LGBTQ+ community. The amendment, backed by Orbán’s rightwing populist Fidesz party, passed in April in the National Assembly along party lines, with 140 votes in favor and just 21 against. Human rights campaigners have warned that the measure chips away at fundamental freedoms and solidifies state control over civic life in Hungary.
Among the most contentious provisions is the formal enshrinement of the government’s recently passed law banning public LGBTQ+ events — including the pride march. Though the law itself was approved in March, this amendment embeds the ban into the Hungarian constitution, giving it stronger symbolic and political weight.
Critically, the amendment also allows authorities to deploy facial recognition technology to identify individuals attending LGBTQ+ events. Offenders could face fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (approximately €500), raising concerns of mass surveillance and targeting of communities.
As the Guardian reports: “This government isn’t just dismantling democracy brick by brick — it’s now going at it with a bulldozer,” said independent MP Ákos Hadházy during a recent rally.
In addition to targeting LGBTQ+ rights, the amendment codifies the recognition of only two sexes, effectively denying legal acknowledgment of diverse gender identities. Fidesz officials claim the changes are necessary to safeguard children’s “physical, mental, and moral development.” Critics say the rhetoric mirrors similar justifications used by Russia to stifle civil liberties.
Suspension of Hungarian citizenship
The amendment also includes a controversial provision enabling the suspension of Hungarian citizenship for dual nationals considered a threat to national security or sovereignty. While limited to nationals of non-EU countries, critics see it as a tool for targeting dissenters with foreign ties and further centralizing power in the executive.
A coalition of civil rights organizations — including Amnesty International, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, and the Háttér Society — has called on the European Commission to intervene, arguing the amendment violates core EU laws and values.
Orbán, a self-proclaimed “illiberal” leader, has repeatedly invoked conspiracy theories of foreign interference, pledging in a recent speech to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded judges, journalists, NGOs, and activists. The amendment’s citizenship provision appears to advance this agenda.
With elections looming next year and rising opposition from within his own former allies, including challenger Péter Magyar, Orbán’s government appears poised to double down on divisive cultural battles in an effort to consolidate power.