Police officers stand in front of protesters blocking the entrance to the Hungarian parliament in Budapest on 14 April. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
Police officers stand in front of protesters blocking the entrance to the Hungarian parliament in Budapest on 14 April. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
Hungary passes constitutional amendment targeting LGBTQ groups, restricting rights
Despite the weeks-long protests and a brief disruption in the chamber just before the vote, the Hungarian constitutional amendment has now been passed, with 140 votes in favour and 21 against, Index reported.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán votes on constitutional amendments targeting LGBTQ community at the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Márton Mónus/Reuters
Monday’s amendment underpins legislation passed on 18 March that bans the annual Pride march, effectively restricting freedom of assembly and triggering protests against the changes fast-tracked by Orbán’s Fidesz party, AFP said.
The key provision declares that children’s rights for their “proper physical, mental and moral development take precedence over all other fundamental rights,” except the right to life, AP explained.
That provision is seen as a way to strengthen the legal foundations for the prohibition of the Pride march, it added.
The amendment proclaims that people can only be male or female, and allows for temporary stripping of citizenship from some dual or multiple nationals, which AP speculates that could target billionaire George Soros, a Hungarian-American and a regular subject of populist conspiracy theories.
The Hungarian parliament has adopted a constitutional amendment that rights campaigners have described as a “significant escalation” in the government’s efforts to crack down on dissent and chip away at human rights, with some of the key changes targeting LGBTQ community and dual nationals (17:32).
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that “It is clear that they are stalling and not wanting peace at all,” (15:28) when commenting on the latest Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, as she called for more ammunition to be sent to help the country fight against the Russian aggression (15:39).
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told Fox Business that the US was “making enormous progress on tariff talks with the EU,” as the bloc’s trade chief Maroš Šefčovič continues his visit in Washington DC (14:23).
The Bundestag has confirmed that the formal election of the country’s next chancellor is scheduled for 6 May, assuming that the coalition deal gets approved before then (13:48). A youth organisation associated with the Social Democrats indicated their opposition to the agreement, announced last week, prompting questions about whether it can win the key vote among the SPD members (12:09).
Earlier, the presumed next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, suggested last night that his government could finally deliver on Kyiv’s longstanding request to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles, capable of strikes inside Russia (10:48), marking a shift in Germany’s policy after longstanding opposition from current chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
We will be back tomorrow with more updates on Europe Live.
The amendment passed Monday also allows for Hungarians who hold dual citizenship in a non-European Economic Area country to have their citizenship suspended for up to 10 years if they are deemed to pose a threat to public order, public security or national security.
Hungary has taken steps in recent months to protect its national sovereignty from what it claims are foreign efforts to influence its politics or even topple Orban’s government.
The self-described “illiberal” leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets and groups devoted to civil rights and anti-corruption, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.
In a speech laden with conspiracy theories in March, Orban compared people who work for such groups to insects, and pledged to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded “politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists.”
Ádám Remport, a lawyer with the HCLU, said that while Hungary has used facial recognition tools since 2015 to assist police in criminal investigations and finding missing persons, the recent law banning Pride allows the technology to be used in a much broader and problematic manner.
That includes for monitoring and deterring political protests, AP reported.
“One of the most fundamental problems is its invasiveness, just the sheer scale of the intrusion that happens when you apply mass surveillance to a crowd,” Remport said.
“More salient in this case is the effect on the freedom of assembly, specifically the chilling effect that arises when people are scared to go out and show their political or ideological beliefs for fear of being persecuted,” he added.
Hungary passes constitutional amendment targeting LGBTQ groups, restricting rights
Despite the weeks-long protests and a brief disruption in the chamber just before the vote, the Hungarian constitutional amendment has now been passed, with 140 votes in favour and 21 against, Index reported.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán votes on constitutional amendments targeting LGBTQ community at the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Márton Mónus/Reuters
Monday’s amendment underpins legislation passed on 18 March that bans the annual Pride march, effectively restricting freedom of assembly and triggering protests against the changes fast-tracked by Orbán’s Fidesz party, AFP said.
The key provision declares that children’s rights for their “proper physical, mental and moral development take precedence over all other fundamental rights,” except the right to life, AP explained.
That provision is seen as a way to strengthen the legal foundations for the prohibition of the Pride march, it added.
The amendment proclaims that people can only be male or female, and allows for temporary stripping of citizenship from some dual or multiple nationals, which AP speculates that could target billionaire George Soros, a Hungarian-American and a regular subject of populist conspiracy theories.
'We have to get it to stop and fast,' Trump writes on Russian invasion of Ukraine
I’m keeping an eye on the events in Budapest, and will update you soon. The bloc of votes has just started, according to Hungarian media.
But in the meantime, let me bring you this update from US president Donald Trump on Ukraine.
Posting on Truth Social, he insisted he was “working diligently to get the death and destruction to stop,” as he added “we have to get it to stop, and fast.”
Here is his post in full:
The War between Russia and Ukraine is Biden’s war, not mine. I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening. President Putin, and everyone else, respected your President! I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR, BUT AM WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO STOP. If the 2020 Presidential Election was not RIGGED, and it was, in so many ways, that horrible War would never have happened. President Zelenskyy and Crooked Joe Biden did an absolutely horrible job in allowing this travesty to begin. There were so many ways of preventing it from ever starting. But that is the past. Now we have to get it to STOP, AND FAST. SO SAD!
Protests in Budapest over government's plans for constitutional amendment
The Hungarian vote is accompanied by protests outside the parliament building in Budapest.
AFP noted that according to the organisers of the Pride parade, scheduled for 28 June, the changes move the EU member country closer to authoritarianism.
They also criticise that the amendment conflates being a member of the LGBTQ community with paedophilia and pornography, adding that it is an “attempt … to dehumanise them”.
Police officers stand guard in front of the Parliament building, on the day the Hungarian Parliament votes on constitutional amendments targeting LGBTQ community, Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
Protesters block the entrance of the parliament's garage on the day the Hungarian Parliament votes on constitutional amendments targeting LGBTQ community, Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
Police officers carry a protester as demonstrators block the entrance of the parliament's garage on the day the Hungarian parliament votes on constitutional amendments targeting the LGBTQ community, in Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
Hungary seeks to chip away at human rights with constitutional amendment, critics say
Ashifa Kassam
Elsewhere, Hungarian lawmakers are expected to vote in a controversial constitutional amendment on Monday that rights campaigners have described as a “significant escalation” in the government’s efforts to crack down on dissent and chip away at human rights.
A handout photo made available by the Hungarian prime minister's Press Office shows Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán speaking at a press conference earlier this month. Photograph: Zoltán Fischer/EPA
Backed by the prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and his rightwing populist party, Fidesz, the amendment seeks to codify 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.
After Orbán’s repeated claims of foreign interference in the country’s politics, the amendment will also allow 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.
Kallas also said that it was “in everybody’s interest” to make Russia “realise it made a mistake” by attacking Ukraine and making it clear it cannot win.
“Because the will of the Ukrainian people is not broken, and European countries will – and not only European countries, but many other countries – will stand by Ukraine,” she says.
In a pointed remark likely aimed at US president Donald Trump, she says:
“I hope that it’s also clear to everybody now, that if you want the killing to stop, you should put the pressure on Russia, who actually does the killing.”
Ukraine needs more ammunition, EU's foreign policy chief says
Kallas also reiterates the need to provide more ammunition to Ukraine “as soon as possible,” saying “they need it now, because these attacks are [happening], there are civilian casualties in great numbers.”
“That’s why they need the ammunition. That’s why they also need the air defence. The calls by Ukraine to have more air defense have been really, really vocal,” she says.
EU foreign policy chief's summary on Middle East, Iran, Africa, the Balkans
Kallas also summed up the discussion on Gaza, with “the first ever high-level political dialogue with Palestine” taking place later today, as the bloc supports the two state solution.
She says the overall situation is “very grave” and urged mediators to restart negotiations, agree to a ceasefire and release all hostages.
She says that Israel “has the right to defend itself, but its current actions go beyond proportionate self-defence.”
Kallas also spoke about the discussion leaders had on Syria with the country’s future “still very fragile,” on Iran, and on the EU’s policy on Africa.
She then turned to the bloc’s enlargement policies, praising Albania and Montenegro for making “good progress,” and expressing concerns about the attempts to break Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She also issued a pointed warning against “any participation in the 9 May parades or celebrations in Moscow,” saying this “will not be taken lightly on the European side, considering that Russia is really waging a full scale war in Europe.”
Talking about putting more pressure on Russia, Kallas says the bloc is working on the 17th package of sanctions covering “shadow fleet and different elements” for the next meeting in May.
'It is clear they are stalling, not wanting peace at all,' EU's Kallas on Russia
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is briefing reporters after the meeting of EU foreign ministers.
She opens by saying that all countries want to see peace in Ukraine, but pointedly calls Russia out for not committing to the US-led proposal for a ceasefire.
She says:
“Ukraine agreed to unconditional ceasefire already a month ago, and yet we are seeing that Russia alone wants war, because we have seen the deadliest attack …Sumy airstrike over the weekend.
It is clear that they are stalling and not wanting peace at all.”
She then adds:
“So the only way to get Russia to negotiate seriously is putting some more pressure on Russia.”
US making 'enormous progress' in trade talks with EU, White House adviser Hassett says
I brought you earlier the confirmation from the European Commission that EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is in Brussels for talks with the US on trade.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett just told Fox Business that the US was “making enormous progress on tariff talks with the EU,” Reuters reported.
“There have been a lot of discussions with the EU,” Hassett, director of the National Economic Council said in an interview with Fox Business Network, in comments reported by Reuters.
“We’re making enormous progress. It’s going to be very good for American workers, especially American auto workers.”
UK picks seasoned security expert as new France ambassador to work on defence and Ukraine
Patrick Wintour
A top British security expert is being appointed as British ambassador to France in a sign of how the UK sees the future defence relationship with France and cooperation with Paris over Ukraine critical to the future of the Franco-British bilateral relationship.
Sir Thomas Drew will take over as ambassador in Paris starting in August 2025. He has spent the last four years as the FCDO’s most senior official responsible for Defence and Intelligence where he led on issues ranging from Covid-19 to threats from hostile states.
He will take over from Dame Menna Rawlings in the summer. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the British prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, have grown into close political allies in the last few months as they have tried to build support for some kind of European led protection force in Ukraine.
Sir Tom’s previous roles in Government have also included the Director of National Security in both the Foreign Office and Home Office.
A Foreign Office source said: “Sir Tom is a seasoned diplomat with invaluable experience, his appointment will build on the new era in our alliance with France under this Government. This is underpinned by closer than ever cooperation by the foreign secretary and prime minister, including joint visits, leading the Coalition of the Willing and a UK-France Summit due later this summer.”
Formal election of new German chancellor scheduled for 6 May
Back to Germany, the Bundestag has now confirmed that the formal election of the country’s next chancellor is scheduled for 6 May (assuming that the coalition deal gets approved before then.)
The decision was made by the Bundestag president, Julia Klöckner.
The timing makes sense: as the new head of the government, Friedrich Merz would then represent Germany at the Victory in Europe Day celebrations on 8 May and then at the EU-UK summit on 19 May, creating ample opportunities to meet other leaders in his new role.
