[Benjamin]

Amendment also enshrines recognition of only two sexes, providing basis for denying gender identities

Hungarian lawmakers have voted through a controversial constitutional amendment that campaigners described as a “significant escalation” in the government’s efforts to crack down on dissent and chip away at human rights.

Backed by the prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and his rightwing populist party, Fidesz, the amendment passed on Monday along party lines, with 140 votes for and 21 against.

It codifies the government’s recent ban on Pride events, paving the way for authorities to use facial recognition software to identify attenders and potentially fine them.

The amendment, which the government says prioritises the protection of children’s physical, mental and moral development, also enshrines the recognition of only two sexes, providing a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of some in Hungary.

Amid Orbán’s repeated claims of foreign interference in the country’s politics, the amendment also allows the government to temporarily suspend Hungarian citizenship in the case of dual nationals deemed to pose a threat to the country’s security or sovereignty.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a rights group, described the amendment as a means of “legislating fear” in the EU country. “These laws represent a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to suppress dissent, weaken human rights protection and consolidate its grip on power,” it said in a statement.

The opposition Momentum party highlighted similarities with restrictions in Russia. Much like Vladimir Putin, Orbán has sought to portray himself as a champion of traditional family values, ushering in policies that include blocking same-sex couples from adopting children and barring any mention of LGBTQ+ issues in school education programmes.

Before Monday’s vote, Momentum issued a call on social media for Hungarians to join it in a blockade of the country’s parliament, in the hope of keeping lawmakers from voting in the legislation. “Let’s collectively prevent them from leading us down the Putin road and depriving us of our freedom,” it said.

On Monday, opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to block the entrance to a parliament parking garage, with some using zip ties to bind themselves together, and were physically removed by police.

The constitutional amendment was approved almost a month after lawmakers fast-tracked a law that banned public events held by LGBTQ+ communities. Thousands of people have since taken to the streets, blocking bridges and major thoroughfares with chants of “democracy” and “assembly is a fundamental right” in weekly protests.

“This government isn’t just dismantling democracy brick by brick, it’s now going at it with a bulldozer,” Ákos Hadházy, an independent lawmaker who campaigns alongside Momentum, said at a recent rally, according to Bloomberg. “We are here because we need to act fast to get ahead and stop it.”

Orbán and his government have said their aim is to protect children from what they describe as “sexual propaganda”, but analysts have pointed to forthcoming elections to argue that the country’s LGBTQ+ minority is being scapegoated by a government intent on mobilising its conservative base.

Orbán, who has long faced criticism for weakening democratic institutions and gradually undermining the rule of law, is facing an unprecedented challenge from a former member of the Fidesz party’s elite, Péter Magyar, before next year’s elections.

As news of the Pride ban broke last month, 22 European embassies in Hungary, including those of the UK, France and Germany, issued a joint statement saying they were deeply concerned that the legislation would result in “restrictions on the right of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...btq-gatherings