Once again, Hungary became the focus of the most heated debate in the European Parliament’s Strasbourg plenary on Wednesday, April 2nd. MEPs clashed over the country’s supposed violation of the freedom of assembly after the Hungarian parliament adopted a child protection act that banned overly sexualized public displays of LGBT ideology, including Pride parades.
The debate began with keynote speeches from the EU Commission and the EU Council’s Polish presidency, both of which focused on one thing: Hungary’s punishment, whatever it takes.
“The Union has the necessary tools to protect its values,” stated Polish EU affairs minister Adam Szłapka, adding that the Council presidency had already made preparations to expand the ongoing infringement procedure against Hungary, and remains “committed” to holding Budapest accountable.
The EU Commission’s new rule-of-law tsar, Michael McGrath was more direct in his threats. “This so-called ‘child protection law’ stigmatizes LGBTQI content and presents it as detrimental to children’s development,” he said, adding:
The Commission will not hesitate to take further action, and where appropriate, launch [further] infringement procedures to ensure the respect of the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary.
The Commission already has a pending lawsuit against Hungary at the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) over the 2022 Child Protection Act (which banned the promotion of LGBT ideology in elementary schools), the same law that was amended two weeks ago to ban Pride.
Although McGrath and Szłapka did not say it explicitly, the “further actions” not only mean potentially freezing more of Hungary’s EU funds, but triggering the unprecedented “nuclear option” in the EU Council and stripping Hungary of membership rights, including the rights to vote on and veto EU legislation.
Most member states would never endorse such a drastic measure as it might create a dangerous precedent that could be used against them in the future. However, now even the incoming German government is pushing for it despite Berlin having been one of the most ardent opponents of voting rights suspension in the past.
“Another shoddy theater piece”
While leftist and center-right MEPs were trying to outbid each other at every turn in accusing Hungary of being a blatantly homophobic dictatorship, the three conservative groups rallied behind Budapest. They called out the absurdity of the EU wasting time again on attacking a conservative member state on what is domestic competence instead of dealing with the real emergencies plaguing Europe.
— Patriots for Europe (@PatriotsEP) April 3, 2025
| "You need therapy for your anti-Hungarian hysteria."
Brussels wants submission, not diversity.@Jorgebuxade exposes the EU’s hypocrisy: they silenceHungary while pushing policies that endanger women, children and homosexuals across Europe. #Patriots pic.twitter.com/NnP5wpMl0K
“While Europe is being overrun by illegal migrants, the competitiveness of European economies is in ruins, and inflation and energy prices are skyrocketing due to failed sanctions policies, you are wasting your time with another shoddy political theater piece,” MEP Tamás Deutsch, from Hungary’s ruling Fidesz on behalf of the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group.
Deutsch explained that the ongoing demonstrations in Budapest show that the freedom of assembly remains intact, but when it comes to Pride, the protection of children will always take precedence:
We will defend our freedom and sovereignty, we will protect our children, we will reject illegal migration, and we will stand up for peace. Because this is the will of the Hungarian people.
On behalf of the European Conservative and Reformist (ECR) group, Polish MEP Jacek Ozdoba (PiS) struck a similar note, saying that even with all the crises currently affecting Europe, “this ball on the Titanic is still going on.”
The MEP then called out the hypocritical double standards at the core of the rule-of-law debate, pointing out blatant violations in Poland, Romania, Germany, or France—where a judge recently banned the presidential frontrunner from the elections without a chance to appeal.
“The only objective is to control democracy. We should debate that, and not parents’ right to bring up their children according to their views,” Ozdoba said. “So have fun now, because in the next elections, the right-wing forces will be even stronger.”
MEP Zsuzsanna Borvendég, a Hungarian academic from the AfD-led Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) did not pull her punches either. According to her, it’s every government’s responsibility to limit the right of assembly to a necessary proportion to protect society from the promotion of gender transition and “sexual deviancy expressed in a publicly indecent way,” while also pointing out that the EU parliament had no problems with Hungary’s previous socialist government brutally cracking down on peaceful protesters in 2006. Borvendég underlined:
This amendment takes on one of the most powerful and dangerous lobbies in the world, which openly seeks to dismantle the traditional social order. But the Hungarian society is fighting back.
Some MEPs even directly addressed the EU Commission. “I very much agree with you, Commissioner McGrath, that everyone should have the right to be themselves. Why is it not acceptable for the Hungarian people to be themselves and vote for whoever they want to?” Italian MEP Paolo Borchia (Lega/PfE) asked.
His colleague from PM Giorgia Meloni’s ruling Fratelli d’Italia party (ECR), Paolo Inselvini joined in by saying the Hungarian law merely protects children based on “Christian values and common sense.” Meanwhile, he added, the EU Parliament blocked the ECR’s request for a debate on surrogacy on Wednesday, which only adds to Brussels’ hypocrisy.
What nowadays happens at a typical Pride parade should be allowed in the bedroom, but not on the streets, MEP Tomasz Froelich from the German AfD said in his fiery speech. “People are having sex in front of children during Pride. What’s happening there, is child abuse.”
They are trying to ban AfD in Germany, they undermined democracy, we see what’s happening in Poland, and now they passed a political death sentence on Marine Le Pen. You don’t care about any of that though, you just obsess about Hungary.
Instead of attacking Orbán, follow his example! In order to protect our children, follow him, and let’s say no to the sexualization of all areas of life and our children!
