The Hungarian Parliament has repealed several provisions of a 2021 law that restricted the distribution to minors of materials containing information about homosexuality, gender identity, and gender transition. This information has been confirmed by Hungarian and international sources; however, this does not constitute a complete repeal of all existing restrictions on LGBT content in the country.
The amendments were adopted on October 13, 2026: 139 members of parliament voted in favor, while 51 voted against. Provisions prohibiting the “display” or “promotion” of sexual and gender diversity in content accessible to persons under the age of 18 have been removed from the legislation. Instead, a more general provision has been introduced to protect minors from material that could seriously harm their physical, intellectual, emotional, or moral development.
The restrictions were introduced in 2021 under Viktor Orbán’s government as part of the so-called Child Protection Act. In addition to measures against pedophilia, the document included a ban on the distribution to minors of materials that the authorities interpreted as “promoting” homosexuality or gender transition. The restrictions applied, in particular, to educational and media content.
The legislative change marked one of the first notable policy revisions in this area since Prime Minister Péter Mádjár’s government took office. The ruling Tisza Party, which holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, supported the amendments. Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party voted against them.
The parliament’s decision followed a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union on April 21, 2026. The court found Hungary’s 2021 restrictions to be incompatible with EU law and the fundamental values of the European Union. Following the vote, EU representatives described the changes as an important signal of Hungary’s commitment to common European principles.
