Viennese cultural councilor shows the flag: planned trip to the Pride in Budapest!

Viennese cultural councilor shows the flag: planned trip to the Pride in Budapest!

Budapest, Ungarn - On June 26, 2025, the Hungarian government under Viktor Orbán is criticized for its decision to ban the 30th Budapest Pride Parade. This measure is regarded as a serious intervention in the right to freedom of assembly and affects the already politically attacked LGBTQIA+ Community in Hungary. The parade, which has been a major human rights demonstration since 1997, cannot take place as planned this year. The decision is seen by many as an attack on the fundamental rights of the citizens, in particular on the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

In this context, Vienna's cultural and science councilor Veronica Kaup-Hasler plans to travel to Budapest next Saturday. Your visit is interpreted as a clear message of solidarity with the queer community and the Hungarian civil society. Kaup-Hasler emphasizes that it is of great importance, even in times when freedom rights are limited to show clearly. Your participation is considered an active act of support and cultural policy commitment to democracy and freedom of art. The exchange with Budapet's mayor Gergely Karácsony, who is committed to progressive city politics and human rights, is also part of her plan.

political background

The ban on the Budapest Pride Parade takes place in the context of a general deterioration in the human rights situation in Hungary. Under the leadership of Viktor Orbán, the government has issued a number of laws since 2010 that significantly restrict the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. These include the ban on same-sex marriage and the abolition of legal gender recognition for trans- and intersex people. A law from 2021 has also caused content to be banned for minors.

Although there have been progress in the area of ​​LGBTQIA+rights in many countries, alarming returns are shown in Europe. The law, which has only been adopted, allows the authorities to prevent public events, address the non-traditional gender roles or non-heterosexuality. This not only puts the Pride Parade in Budapest in danger, but also threatens the basic democratic rights of all citizens.

LGBTQIA+rights in Europe

The protection of the LGBTI rights is very important in the European Union. The EU has been committed to equality for LGBTI people for more than 25 years, with important documents such as the contract of Amsterdam and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union form the basics for this. Despite these efforts, LGBTI people still experience discrimination and violence in many EU countries. According to a survey by the European Union for fundamental rights, many LGBTI people reported discrimination cases that they do not report because they live with the assumption that nothing will change.

The situation in Hungary illustrates how quickly rights that many consider granted are dismantled. In this context, the prohibition of the Pride Parade bridge to European democracy and the associated responsibility. Vienna, as the European Capital of Democracy in 2025, shows her commitment to the visibility of queer realities and the promotion of open societies through the journey of Kaup-Hasler.