Over three years ago, the European Commission announced infringement proceedings against the Hungarian government for its proposed law, which has become known as the “anti-gay propaganda law”. By now, the case has been brought before the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) (Case C-769/22). Though the case has received some attention, most of it has been siloed: the academic community, LGBTIQ+ community, and other interested voices have not been united in their understanding, examination, and discussion. This event bridges the academic, legal advocacy, and LBGTIQ+ community to jointly describe the many implications of the case, both potential and those already taking place.

Growing concern about the rolling back of rights and values

Across the world, democratic decay has risen, as have electoral autocracies. With illiberalism growing, many public debates now centre around what EU and democratic values still mean, given the European Parliament has referred to Hungary as an ‘electoral autocracy’ and Prime Minister Orbán to himself as a ‘realist, not a populist’. With liberal progressive voices, there is growing concern about the rolling back of rights and values guaranteed at the EU level through national parliaments, even with EU funding, referring to developments in EU Member States like Italy, Hungary, and Poland. These developments are also strongly related to this infringement case and this event, which takes the audience along in notions of equality, pluralism, and tolerance inherent in a democratic society. The experts will speak about the meaning of the Commission’s invoking TEU Article 2, what can we can expect if the ECJ finds favour of the Commission from a societal and political perspective, and what the LGBTIQ+ community is most worried about.

Legal arguments, political relations and LGHBTIQ+ rights

Join us for a conversation on the biggest human rights case against another EU Member State in the European Court of Justice's history. This 1.5-hour in-person event will illuminate the issues along three main lines: the Commission's legal arguments, including TEU Article 2, the impact on political relations and EU (democratic) values, and the impact on LGBTIQ+ rights in Hungary and across the EU. Hear directly from the LGBTIQ+ and civil rights activists who successfully lobbied 16 countries and the European Parliament to join the case and the legal and political experts to tell you exactly why this case matters beyond borders.