Phoenix 24
Péter Magyar’s proposal signals a significant departure from the family policies of the Orbán era.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has announced that his government will amend adoption rules introduced under former leader Viktor Orbán, which effectively prevented same-sex couples and made it considerably harder for single people to adopt children.
Before the 2020 reform, a gay or lesbian person could apply individually for adoption even though Hungary did not permit joint adoption by same-sex couples. Orbán’s government subsequently required applications from unmarried people to receive authorization from the minister responsible for family affairs, transforming a professional assessment into a politically controlled process.
Magyar said adoption decisions should be made by qualified child-protection specialists rather than politicians. Removing ministerial authorization could reopen a legal route for single applicants, including people in same-sex relationships, although it would not immediately establish full joint-adoption rights.
The proposal represents another institutional shift following Magyar’s electoral victory, which ended Orbán’s 16 years in power. Hungary still prohibits same-sex marriage but recognizes registered civil partnerships. Its previous restrictions on LGBTQ+ visibility, legal gender recognition, education and public demonstrations repeatedly generated conflict with European institutions.
The European Court of Justice ruled that Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation violated EU law and fundamental rights. Revising the adoption framework could therefore help Budapest rebuild relations with Brussels, but its implementation will reveal whether the government intends a limited administrative correction or a broader transformation of family and equality policy.
Children need responsible families, not political classifications.