In a blatant attack by the European Commission on the sovereignist government of Hungary, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has publicly urged Hungary to rescind its ban on the Budapest Pride march, deeming it a violation of “fundamental EU values.”
In a video statement released on social media on Wednesday, June 25th, she declared: “I call on the Hungarian authorities to allow the Budapest Pride to go ahead without fear of any criminal or administrative sanctions against the organisers or participants.” Von der Leyen also reaffirmed her unwavering support for the “LGBTIQ+ community.”
Under Hungary’s newly amended child protection laws, public events promoting gender nonconformity, gender reassignment, and homosexuality in the presence of minors are prohibited.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded via an X post, criticising the Commission for meddling in a sovereign legal matter. He stressed that domestic law enforcement and legislative prerogatives fall outside the EU’s competence, and urged Brussels to focus on issues “where it has a clear role… such as the energy crisis and Europe’s competitiveness.”
I urge the European Commission to refrain from interfering in the law enforcement affairs of Member States, where it has no role to play. I also call on the Commission to focus its efforts on the pressing challenges facing the European Union—areas where it does have a clear role and responsibility, and where it has made serious mistakes in recent years, such as the energy crisis and the erosion of European competitiveness.
Budapest’s left-wing mayor, Gergely Karácsony, wants to challenge the ban by insisting that the event will proceed as a municipal initiative on Saturday, June 28th.
