I would not have spoken about Gay Pride, a demonstration that has never convinced me because I have never thought it was in my nature to demonstrate to affirm that I am one way or another. If I am heterosexual, who cares, and why should I flaunt it in everyone’s face? If I am asexual, demisexual, polysexual, bisexual, heteroflexible, bi-curious, queer, lesbian or transsexual I can certainly be so, but why make it the subject of public communication, or rather why claim it since now you can be so without suffering consequences? These questions express my personal perplexity, however, if there are reasons why it is necessary to demonstrate I am available to listen.
Even if I do not agree with the choice of those who want to demonstrate, what I absolutely cannot accept is that such a demonstration can be prohibited, in contrast with Article 21 of the Italian Constitution which allows everyone the “right to freely express their thoughts” and with Article 3 which wants citizens to be “equal before the law, without distinction of sex”.
These principles are also recognized in the European Union, as written in the “Charter of Fundamental Rights” which in its Article 11 states “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right includes freedom of opinion and the freedom to receive or impart information and ideas without interference by public authorities and regardless of frontiers”, furthermore Article 21 states “All people are equal before the law”. To the principle of equal rights between women and men in the European Union, a new rule was added in 2000 which “prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation”.
The Hungarian Fundamental Law also provides in its Article VII: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion”, Article VIII states: “Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly” and “Everyone has the right to form organizations and to join organizations”, furthermore Article IX states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression.” As for the preamble, it states that “European Union law, within the limits described in paragraph 2, may establish generally binding rules of conduct.”
With such clear constitutional legislation regarding freedom of thought, assembly and demonstration, it is not clear why the celebration of Gay Pride in Budapest has been banned and, indeed, anyone who tries to take to the streets tomorrow will be arrested and prosecuted.
The fact is that the far-right Hungarian majority in March 2025 changed the legislation that regulated the staging of public demonstrations, considering the defense of LGBTIQ+ rights as violations of the “Child Protection Act”. For this reason, in April 2025 a delegation of MEPs went to Hungary and declared that this change represents an attack, not only on the interests of the organizers of the Pride, but on the fundamental rights set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the values that underpin the Union. In the debate that followed, MEPs called on the Commission to take action at the European Court of Justice to ask Hungary to suspend the “Child Protection Act”, on the grounds that this law is incompatible with EU law.
Meanwhile, the Pride is looming, and MEPs from all over Europe are heading to Hungary to demonstrate against the violation of the right to expression. In recent weeks there has been a large international mobilization: the participation of more than 70 MEPs is expected (about 10% of the entire European Parliament) as well as political representatives of the member states, including Italy, and also ministers or former ministers, with the vice prime minister of Spain, Yolanda Díaz, and the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun.
The Italian Democratic Party through Alessandro Zan said: “the European Commission cannot bow its head before a government that systematically tramples on the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community: the freedom to demonstrate and the freedom to be fully oneself are not negotiable principles within the EU borders.” For this reason, on June 28th in Budapest there will be a delegation of the PD led by secretary Elly Schlein. In addition to them, from Italy, “always to contest the bans imposed by the Hungarian Prime Minister, – reports Il Corriere della Sera – about 30 deputies and senators of the “large field” (in an expanded version) will leave, because in addition to the secretary of the PD and the delegations of M5S (Five Stars Movement), Avs (Alliance Green and Left Wing) and Italia Viva, there will also be the leader of Azione Carlo Calenda and representatives of +Europa”.
Ursula von der Leyen has issued an appeal via social media: “I ask the Hungarian authorities to allow the Budapest Pride to take place. Without fear of criminal or administrative sanctions against the organizers or participants. To the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary and around the world: I will always be your ally.”
Prime Minister Victor Orbán, who has dismantled and is dismantling liberal democracy and proudly calls his country an “illiberal democracy,” has urged everyone to respect the law and not to demonstrate. Delegations from various European parties will be in Budapest on June 28, defying his ban, which they consider illegal. “It is in fact the Hungarian Prime Minister who does not respect the laws, since freedom of association and demonstration is a fundamental right recognized, not only by the Hungarian Fundamental Charter, but by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Union. According to Marco Cappato, leader of the Italian Radicals, before marching at the Pride “precisely to discuss the civic initiatives to be undertaken to enforce democracy and the rule of law in Hungary and throughout Europe we will hold an open civic assembly”. Activists, parliamentarians, jurists and citizens from all over Europe will participate. Among the proposals on the agenda is the suspension of Hungary from the right to vote in the European Council and the creation of the statute of “European associations”, in order to overcome the obstacles and boycott that civil society organizations suffer in Hungary and in other European countries”.
The march, however, from what we understand, will be held since the mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony intervened and sponsored the demonstration as a municipal event, and therefore not in conflict with the “Law for the Protection of Children” which he considers unconstitutional and designed to intimidate those who are different. However, the police reiterated the ban. Therefore, on June 28, we will witness a show of strength between institutions and probably a wave of arrests. We hope not to see our parliamentarians handcuffed and kept on a leash, as happened to Ilaria Salis in Budapest while she was still a presumed guilty party awaiting trial, held as in no other country in Europe is a ferocious criminal held constrained. This way of treating defendants in the country of Santo Stefano should also be put under the magnifying glass by the European Union to ascertain whether it is in line with community legislation.
We will see.
