Most European Union countries, including the two most powerful, France and Germany, have signed a letter asking the E.U.’s executive arm, the European Commission (E.C.), to crack down on Hungary after the central European nation banned Pride celebrations.

“We are highly alarmed by these developments,” the letter states, calling on the E.C. to “expeditiously make full use of the rule of law toolbox at its disposal” to get Hungary to roll back its Pride ban.

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Hungary passes constitutional amendment banning Pride as protesters hold “Gray Pride” protest
Supporters of the law said that it would protect children from knowing that LGBTQ+ people exist.

In April, Hungary’s Parliament passed the Assembly Act, which bans events that involve a “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality if minors might see it. The law stipulates a fine of around $550 for attending such an event and allows law enforcement officials to use facial recognition technology to track down people who attend. The law was introduced on Monday and passed on Tuesday in an expedited process.

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The law is an extension of Hungary’s 2021 “child protection” law that bans depictions of homosexuality to people under the age of 18. This includes mentioning LGBTQ+ people at schools and depictions in the media of “gender deviating from sex at birth.”

Queer Hungarians responded by protesting the new law and the E.U. condemned Hungary for violating LGBTQ+ people’s “right to gather peacefully.”

But now some European countries – including Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden – want the E.C. to take more concrete measures to get Hungary to repeal the Pride ban, even though the letter doesn’t say exactly what it wants the E.C. to do.

One measure, according to Politico, could be what is called an “interim measure,” which is like an injunction that prevents the Pride ban from being enforced. The measure would need to be implemented soon, as Pride organizers in Budapest plan to hold the celebration on June 28.

The E.C. is already withholding 18 billion euros (around $20.4 billion) in E.U. funds over rule-of-law violations as the country’s authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban increases his personal power over civil society, including his government’s crackdown on blacklisted non-governmental organizations receiving funding.

“Rule of law is a fundamental part of E.U. membership,” European Commissioner Michael McGrath said after a visit to Budapest. “It’s not an optional extra and it must be respected by all member states. And the situation in Hungary is just not acceptable.”

However, the fact that the E.C. is already withholding funds from Hungary could make it harder for the E.C. to take further action on the Pride ban. European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib reportedly rejected a call to push for an interim measure against Hungary, citing a lack of support from the rest of the E.C.

Another measure that the E.U. is reportedly considering is the “nuclear option” of removing Hungary’s voting power in the European Council, which it is also considering due to Hungary’s consistent votes against sending aid to Ukraine. Four-fifths of E.U. countries would have to vote that Hungary violated the E.U. treaty, and then all countries besides Hungary would have to vote to remove Hungary’s voting rights.

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