Hungary Moves to Roll Back Orbán-Era LGBTQ+ Restrictions

Hungary is beginning to dismantle some of the LGBTQ+ restrictions introduced during Viktor Orbán’s years in government, with Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s administration submitting new legislation that would remove key limits on the representation of homosexuality and gender transition.

The bill, submitted to parliament on 14 September, would repeal provisions introduced in 2021 that restricted content portraying or “promoting” homosexuality or gender transition when that content could be accessed by people under 18. Those rules affected areas including television, advertising and educational material.

The proposed replacement would instead focus child-protection rules on material involving pornography, sexual exploitation and other content considered harmful to minors, rather than treating LGBTQ+ identities themselves as restricted subject matter. The legislation has not yet completed the parliamentary process, so the changes are proposed rather than already in force.

Why is Hungary changing the law?

The move follows a major judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union in April.

The EU’s highest court ruled that Hungary had breached EU law through the 2021 legislation and said the restrictions contributed to the stigmatisation and marginalisation of LGBTQ+ people. Significantly, the Court also found Hungary had breached the fundamental values contained in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.

The new Hungarian government, which took office after Péter Magyar defeated Orbán in April 2026, has since signalled that several policies affecting LGBTQ+ people will be reconsidered.

And the changes may not stop with media and education.

Adoption could be next

Magyar has separately announced plans to change the system governing adoption by single people.

A 2020 law introduced under Orbán required single applicants to receive approval from the family affairs minister. Because Hungary does not allow same-sex marriage, LGBTQ+ people seeking to adopt often had to apply as individuals, meaning the ministerial approval requirement effectively created a major barrier to gay and lesbian applicants.

For Bence Lakatos and Jozsef Vanyovszki, a Hungarian couple who have been trying to adopt since 2021, the political shift could have very personal consequences. Lakatos was declared suitable to adopt as a single parent in August, and the couple told Reuters they now hope the wider rules will finally change.

Magyar has said adoption decisions should be made by professionals rather than politicians. However, that reform has been announced but has not yet become law, making it important not to present adoption equality as already achieved.

Hungary has not suddenly reached full LGBTQ+ equality

There is still a long list of differences between the legal position of same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

Hungary continues to recognise registered partnerships for same-sex couples but does not recognise same-sex marriage domestically. The legislation currently before parliament also does not, by itself, restore every LGBTQ+ right affected by policies introduced during the Orbán era.

What has changed is the direction of travel.

After years in which Hungarian LGBTQ+ policy repeatedly generated disputes with European institutions, the government is now formally asking parliament to remove one of the most controversial sets of restrictions.

For Hungary’s queer community, the next question is therefore not simply what the government has promised — but which reforms actually become law, and how quickly they change everyday life.