ECJ says law passed in 2021 is discriminatory and ‘contrary to the identity of the union’, in early test for new PM

The EU’s highest court has found Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law to be discriminatory, stigmatising and in breach of basic democratic values, setting up an early test for the incoming government when it takes power next month.

In a wide-ranging judgment, the European court of justice said the 2021 law that bans content about LGBTQ+ people from schools and primetime TV was at odds with a society based on pluralism and fundamental rights, such as prohibition of discrimination and freedom of expression.

Péter Magyar won a landslide election victory last week after promising to root out corruption and improve living standards, but the incoming prime minister has been muted on whether he will roll back the anti-LGBTQ+ policies introduced by Viktor Orbán, who was defeated after 16 years in power.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/21/eu-court-ecj-hungary-anti-gay-lgbtq-law

See also: Judgment of the Court in Case C-769/22 | Commission v Hungary (Values of the European Union): https://curia.europa.eu/site/jcms/p1_1000082657/en/judgment-c-769/22-commission-v-hungary