Renew Europe calls on the European Parliament to intervene before the European Court of Justice to defend LGBTIQ+ rights in Hungary

The infringement procedure against Hungary, targeting the 2021 law discriminating against LGBTIQ+ people and the disclaimer imposed on a children’s book regarding LGBTIQ+ content, entered the last phase today, with the publication of the case opened by the European Commission in the Official Journal of the European Court of Justice.

The Renew Europe Group reaffirms its support for the Hungarian LGBTIQ+ community by officially requesting through the Committee on Legal Affairs the intervention of the European Parliament (EP) in the case launched by the European Commission. We ask the EP to stand by its resolution, initiated by Renew Europe and adopted in 2021 in plenary session, condemning the legislation.

We strongly believe that the Hungarian government needs to be held accountable for the stigmatisation of the LGBTIQ+ people and the dismantling of democracy and the rule of law.

MEP Pierre Karleskind (L’Europe Ensemble, France), initiator of the resolution, says:

“Since the adoption of the Hungarian anti-LGBTIQ+ law, Renew Europe has been pushing the Commission to take action. But the European Parliament is not only a spectator: we are actors and we must be on the offensive to protect the rights of LGBTIQ+ people in Europe, and thus intervene in this case. Because Europe is an LGBTIQ+-freedom zone!”

MEP Karen Melchior (Independent, Denmark) Renew Europe coordinator of the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) adds:

“Fundamental rights are for all. In order to stay in power Orban decided in 2021 to throw the LGBTIQ+ citizens in Hungary under the bus. Removing their right to express themselves freely. This, and other attacks on minorities, is a sign of the rule of law and democracy being undermined by despots and dictators. We must not allow this, and the European Parliament should join the Commission in its infringement procedure against Hungary”.