LGBTQ rights in Hungary
LGBTQ rights in Hungary | |
|---|---|
Location of Hungary (dark green) – in Europe (light green & dark grey) | |
| Legal status | Legal since 1961, age of consent equalized in 2002; freedom of expression restricted |
| Gender identity | Legal gender change is de facto impossible since 2018, explicitly illegal since 2020. |
| Military | LGBT people allowed to openly serve |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation and gender identity protections (see below) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | Unregistered cohabitation since 1996, Registered partnerships since 2009 |
| Restrictions | Same-sex marriage constitutionally banned |
| Adoption | No joint adoption by same-sex couples; no adoption of same-sex partner's child, explicitly illegal since 2020. |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Hungary face legal and social challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Homosexuality is legal in Hungary for both men and women. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex is banned in the country. However, households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for all of the same legal rights available to heterosexual married couples. Registered partnership for same-sex couples was legalised in 2009, but same-sex marriage remains banned.
The Hungarian government has passed legislation that restricts the civil rights of LGBTQ Hungarians – such as ending legal recognition of transgender Hungarians and banning LGBTQ content and displays for minors. This trend continues under the Fidesz government of Viktor Orbán. In defiance of the policies and enacted legislation from the government of Hungary - a massive protest is planned for the LGBTQ community of Hungary on the 28th June 2025.
In June 2021, Hungary passed an anti-LGBTQ law on banning "homosexual and transsexual propaganda" effective since 1 July. The law has been condemned by seventeen member states of the European Union. In July 2020, the European Commission started legal action against Hungary and Poland for violations of the fundamental rights of LGBTQI people, stating: "Europe will never allow parts of our society to be stigmatized."
In March 2025, the government passed a constitutional amendment that prohibits public assemblies that promote LGBTQ rights, and allows for fines to be issued to the organizers and participants of such events. The ban sparked an outrage from the opposition, with several demonstrations occurring against it.