Hungary has passed a new law that allows citizens to anonymously report same-sex couples who are raising children to authorities. The law, which was approved earlier this week, also allows people to report those who are contesting the "constitutionally recognized role of marriage and the family", as well as those who are contesting children's rights "to an identity appropriate to their sex at birth".
This new law is part of the Hungarian government's ongoing efforts to curb the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the country. Hungary's constitution already protects the institution of marriage as being between one man and one woman, and specifies that "the mother is a woman, the father a man".
In addition to targeting same-sex couples, the new law also covers a wide range of measures aimed at ensuring that authorities investigate complaints over everything from alleged workplace misconduct to corruption.
The move has sparked controversy both within Hungary and beyond its borders. In 2022, the European Commission brought a lawsuit against Hungary for a 2021 law that discriminates against LGBTQ+ minorities, with a majority of member states joining the commission's side.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has been accused of effectively barring adoption for same-sex couples and curbing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary. As a result, the country has been cut off from European Union funding.
The passing of this new law will only serve to further isolate Hungary from its European partners and deepen the divisions within the country itself. It remains to be seen what impact it will have on the lives of same-sex couples and their children in Hungary, but it is clear that this latest move by the government is a significant step backwards for LGBTQ+ rights in the country.