On Tuesday 15 April, the European Commission indicated that it was in the process of analysing the reform of the Hungarian Constitution, approved the previous day in Budapest and which, among other things, decrees the existence of only two genders, masculine and feminine.
We need to analyse this reform, which covers “several topics” and to look at them “very carefully” to be able to see them from the perspective of EU law, said Eva Hrncirova, spokeswoman for the EU institution. She noted that the Commission does not hesitate to take action, if necessary, in apparent reference to the referral to the Court of Justice of the EU against the Hungarian ‘child protection’ law adopted in June 2021 (see EUROPE 12742/21).
The controversial constitutional reform affirms the primacy of children’s right to proper physical, mental and moral development over all other rights. It reinforces the ban on ‘gay pride’ events in Hungary, attempts to muzzle critical voices and attacks dual nationals and foreign interference.
“A country that bans the freedom of assembly, prohibits the right to protest and draws up lists of enemies from civil society is a far cry from a democracy. Orbán’s plan to revoke Hungarian nationality from those who criticise the government is cruel and deeply undemocratic”, said Tineke Strik MEP (Greens/EFA, Dutch) in a statement. She also criticised the increased powers that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is said to have granted himself, “by removing the term limit on the state of emergency” and creating “the possibility to suspend any law with a two-thirds majority in Parliament”.
The Dutch environmentalist is calling on the Council of the European Union “not to procrastinate while Hungary is transformed into a ‘mini-Moscow’”, by moving ahead with the so-called ‘Article 7’ procedure on respect for the rule of law in Hungary.
Amnesty International announced the launch of an international campaign calling on the Hungarian authorities to allow the ‘gay pride’ to take place in Budapest in June. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)