Hungary Drops Charges Against Budapest Mayor Over 2025 Pride March After EU Court Ruling
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 4
Hungary Drops Charges Against Budapest Mayor Over 2025 Pride March After EU Court Ruling
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 4
Summary
Hungarian prosecutors dropped charges against Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony over his role in organizing Budapest’s June 2025 Pride march, reversing a case filed against him in January.
Thursday’s decision cited an April European Court of Justice ruling that found Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ laws breached EU rules and violated equality and minority-rights principles.
The case stemmed from a law pushed under Viktor Orbán that banned public LGBTQ events and restricted the so-called promotion of homosexuality or gender change to under-18s under child-protection rules.
Budapest’s 2025 Pride still went ahead despite the ban and warnings of legal consequences, with organizers saying a record 200,000 people attended.
The prosecutorial retreat follows a broader political shift in Hungary: the ECJ ruling came nine days after voters ended Orbán’s 16-year rule, and Péter Magyar has since taken office as prime minister.
How will a landmark court ruling and a historic Pride march reshape the future of LGBTQ+ rights in Europe?
With Orbán gone, will Hungary's new leader truly dismantle his 'illiberal' state or just rebrand it?
Hungary Repeals Anti-LGBTQ Law After EU Court Ruling and Mass 2025 Pride Protest: A Turning Point for Rights and EU Relations
Overview
In June 2026, Hungary marked a turning point when prosecutors dropped charges against Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony and the Pécs Pride organizer, following the European Union’s top court decision to strike down Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda law. This law, passed in 2021, had banned content about sexuality and gender diversity for minors. Despite a police ban, the 2025 Budapest Pride march drew tens of thousands in protest, signaling strong public opposition. These events, together with a new government, show Hungary moving away from restrictive policies and aligning more closely with EU values on LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of assembly.