Dozens of European politicians vow to attend Budapest Pride despite ban on LGBTQ gatherings in HungaryLink to Full ArticleCNN - Catherine Nicholls, CNN
Published 12:55 PM EDT, Thu May 29, 2025
At least 70 members of the European Parliament are planning on attending this year's Pride celebrations in Budapest, Hungary, despite the nation's ban against LGBTQ gatherings, officials have told CNN.
Earlier this year, Hungarian lawmakers passed new legislation which outlaws Pride events in the country and allows authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those attending any events that go ahead despite the ban.
But officials from at least six groups of the European Parliament are planning on attending Budapest's annual Pride march anyway, according to a spokesperson for Kim van Sparrentak, the co-president of the European Union's Intergroup.
The Intergroup describes itself as an "informal forum for Members of the European Parliament (MEPS) who wish to advance and protect the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people."
Budapest Pride has remained determined in the face of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his government, which has previously said it is outlawing the parade and other LGBTQ gatherings in the country due to "child protection" issues.
Organizers have vowed to hold the event anyway, and have called on "international allies, activists, and friends" to join the Pride parade though Hungary's capital on June 28.-----------------------------------
