Hungarian PM declares: We will change the law banning same-sex couples from adopting children

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced he will work to change the law that effectively banned same-sex couples from adopting children. Magyar said the decision should be made by professionals, not politicians. The law was amended in 2020 under Viktor Orbán's government, requiring approval from the Minister for Family Affairs for adoption applications by individuals.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced today (Saturday) that he will work to change the legislation passed under Viktor Orbán's government, which effectively banned same-sex couples from adopting children. Until late 2020, adoption of children in Hungary by same-sex couples was possible, provided one of the partners submitted the application as an individual. However, Orbán's party then changed the law, requiring approval from the Minister for Family Affairs for adoption applications by individuals – a requirement that effectively led to a ban on the process. "We can say unequivocally that we will change this system," Magyar declared. "It is not the minister, a politician, who should make the decision in such cases, but professionals capable of determining the conditions under which a young child can gain a life that will allow them to become a happy person in society," he said in a briefing to journalists. Magyar ousted Orbán after 16 years in power, thanks to a sweeping victory in the April elections. Changing the adoption system will be a significant step towards restoring the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Hungary. Orbán passed laws banning gender change on official documents, halted adoption by same-sex couples, and banned teaching content in schools perceived as promoting homosexuality or gender change. The European Court of Justice ruled that Orbán's government violated European law through rules banning LGBTQ+-related content.