Sweden stands behind the EU in the LGBTQ battle against Hungary

Sweden stands behind the EU in the LGBTQ battle against

Published: Less than 10 min ago

full screenActivists demonstrate for LGBTQ rights Budapest. The picture was taken in July last year. Archive image. Photo: Anna Szilagyi/AP/TT

Sweden supports the European Commission in a case in the European Court of Justice against Hungary’s legislation that prohibits “displaying homosexuality for minors in advertising and media”.

This is evident from documents from the Government Office.

The parliament in Hungary voted in June 2021 through the controversial law against pedophilia, which, among other things, prohibits teaching minors about homosexuality. The law also strikes against advertising and other mass media products that show “deviations from someone’s biological sex and gender reassignment and propagate or portray homosexuality” for people under 18.

According to the European Commission, the legislation violates several of the Union’s rules, including rules for the internal market and protection of the fundamental rights of individuals. Last summer, the decision was made that the Commission would take Hungary before the EU Court of Justice, since the criticism of the law did not lead to any measures.

In the past, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands have supported the intervention against Hungary. The announcement that Sweden is also joining the process is welcomed by the Liberals’ MEP Karin Karlsbro.

“A very welcome decision with broad support among EU member states and in parliament. I hope that Sweden’s position, especially as a country in the chair, can be a push for more countries to follow” says Karlsbro in a press release.

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