Budapest, Apr. 14, (dpa/GNA) – The Hungarian parliament has enshrined in the country’s constitution that a person can only be defined as either a man or a woman.
A total of 140 members of parliament voted in favour of the amendment brought forward by the government led by right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. There were 21 votes against. As expected, the two-thirds majority necessary for a constitutional amendment was achieved.
During the vote, trumpets sounded in the plenary hall in a protest by opponents of the constitutional amendment. Numerous supporters of the opposition demonstrated in front of the parliament building.
The Momentum opposition party had called for the protests.
On March 18, Hungary’s parliament banned the annual Pride parades, which advocate for trans and sexual minority rights, among other things.
The government had justified the ban on pride parades, above all, with the aim of “protecting” children from contact with the topic of homosexuality.
The amendment adopted on Monday states that the protection of the “mental and moral development” of children has the status of a fundamental right that takes precedence over all other fundamental rights, with the exception of the right to life.
It is the 15th amendment to the Hungarian constitution, based on the ideas of Orbán and his political friends introduced in 2011, the preamble of which is titled “National Creed.”
Critics of the measure agreed on Monday argue that the right to freedom of assembly has been downgraded. Demonstrators outside the parliament building chanted: “Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right.”
Since December 2020, Hungary’s constitution has also stated that a mother can only be a woman and a father can only be a man.
Since 2020, a law has also been in force in Hungary that makes it impossible for transgender people to officially change their gender.
GNA
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