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2022 Hungarian LGBT in education referendum

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Referendum ballot

A referendum was held in Hungary on 3 April 2022, coinciding with the parliamentary elections.[1]

While the overwhelming majority of valid votes were cast as "no" to the four referendum questions, the share of valid votes was below the 50% required for the result to be considered valid.[2][3]

Background

See also: Hungarian anti-LGBT law
Further information: Acquired homosexuality and Homosexual seduction

The referendum has been called by Fidesz, the ruling party of the Hungarian government, and is described as child protection issues concerning LGBTQ rights after pressure from the European Union (EU) over legislation which the EU says discriminates against LGBTQ people.[4]

The law has been described as appearing to "conflate [and equate][5] homosexuality and paedophilia, and is modelled partly on a Russian law that banned so-called "gay propaganda" among minors. The Hungarian law goes further, making it an offence to "promote or portray" homosexuality or gender reassignment to minors. It also limits sex education in schools to government-approved organisations".[6]

In a statement released by the Office of the President of the Republic, Áder said (the statement in full): “Hungary’s National Assembly voted unanimously on November 9, 2021 to allow holding a referendum on the day of the general election. “The legal conditions for holding a referendum are in place for four questions on which referendums have been initiated. “Taking into consideration the deadlines set by the laws on electoral and referendum procedures, a referendum on the four issues in question and the general election can only be held simultaneously on April 3 or April 10. “In view of this, I have set the referendum on the four issues specified in Parliamentary Resolution 32/2021 of November 30 for April 3, 2022.”[1]

Opposition politicians abstained from voting on the resolution.[7]

Proposed changes

The four questions are:[8]

  • Do you support holding information events on sexual orientation to minors, in public education institutions without parental consent?
  • Do you support the promotion of gender-reassignment treatments to minors?
  • Do you support the unrestricted exposure of minors to sexually explicit media content, that may influence their development?
  • Do you support showing minors media content on gender changing procedures?

Criticism

A protest vote to make the ballot invalid

The parts of the law that are in question in the referendum have been condemned by human rights groups and labelled as "vigorous anti-LGBT rhetoric" and "intended to limit minority rights".[6][9] Human rights groups have also said the referendum is likely to increase discrimination and stigmatisation of Hungary’s LGBT community, and make life more difficult for LGBT children.[6]

The proposals have been widely criticised by the EU due to contravening Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This article states "stigmatizing LGBTIQ persons constitute a clear breach of their fundamental right to dignity, as provided for in the EU Charter and international law."[5] EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has described the bill as discriminatory and "a shame".[6]

Luca Dudits, executive board member of the Háttér Society, the largest and oldest LGBT organisation in Hungary, said this referendum is "another tool of Viktor Orbán's communication campaign." She told Euronews, ”If you want to pass a controversial law, you should win a referendum before that".[5]

A joint statement from 10 Hungarian LGBT+ and human rights groups including Budapest Pride and Amnesty International Hungary called for citizens to give invalid answers to the referendum, circling both "yes" and "no" for every question to "help ensure that the government’s exclusionary referendum does not reach the validity threshold."[10]

Results

Turnout

Turnout[11]
7:00 9:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:30 Overall
1.79% 10.17% 25.46% 39.55% 52.18% 62.23% 67.06% 69.24%

Results

(As of: 4 April 2022, 20:58)

At 98.96% counted, the Hungarian National Election Office reports:[12]

For question 1:

  • Yes: 269,714 (7.66% of valid votes)
  • No: 3,252,260 (92.34% of valid votes)
  • Valid votes: 3,527,328 (44.52% of registered voters)
  • Invalid votes: 1,591,007 (20.08% of registered voters)

For question 2:

  • Yes: 143,460 (4.11% of valid votes)
  • No: 3,349,774 (95.89% of valid votes)
  • Valid votes: 3,498,586 (44.16% of registered voters)
  • Invalid votes: 1,619,747 (20.45% of registered voters)

For question 3:

  • Yes: 163,064 (4.68% of valid votes)
  • No: 3,322,174 (95.32% of valid votes)
  • Valid votes: 3,490,585 (44.06% of registered voters)
  • Invalid votes: 1,627,743 (20.55% of registered voters)

For question 4:

  • Yes: 168,279 (4.82% of valid votes)
  • No: 3,320,118 (95.18% of valid votes)
  • Valid votes: 3,488,397 (44.03% of registered voters)
  • Invalid votes: 1,629,961 (20,57% of registered voters)

None of the questions reached the required threshold of 50% of registered voters casting a valid "yes" or "no" vote (4,107,652) in order for the referendum to be declared valid and binding.

Aftermath

Following the referendum, the Hungarian National Election Committee fined 16 civil society organisations, including Amnesty International, the Háttér Society, and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, for having campaigned against the referendum.[13] Amnesty International stated that the fines were an attempt "to silence us because our campaign and civil collaboration was successful."[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "President sets date of 2022 general election, referendum on child protection law for April 3". The Budapest Times. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  2. ^ Simon, Zsolt (4 April 2022). "Orban Referendum Targeting LGBTQ Rights Fails to Become Binding". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  3. ^ Sarkadi, Zsolt; Király, András (4 April 2022). "Érvénytelen lett a homofób népszavazás". 444.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Hungary's Viktor Orban calls referendum on anti-LGBTQ law". France 24. 2021-07-21. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  5. ^ a b c "Hungary's Viktor Orban will hold referendum on anti-LGBT law". euronews. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d Walker, Shaun (21 July 2021). "Hungary's Viktor Orbán will hold referendum on anti-LGBT law". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  7. ^ Gilbody-Dickerson, Claire (30 November 2021). "Hungarian voters to be asked if children should have sex education in referendum on LGBT issues". inews. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  8. ^ Kibédi-Varga, Katalin; Péteri, Attila (2022). Nagy, Attila (ed.). Information for International Observers: Election of Members of Parliament and National Referendums 3 April, 2022. Electoral guidelines. Budapest: National Election Office. ISSN 1216-5530.
  9. ^ "Hungary's parliament approves 2022 referendum on LGBT issues". euronews. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  10. ^ Wakefield, Lily (12 January 2022). "Desperate Viktor Orbán sets horrific anti-LGBT+ referendum for same day as Hungary election". PinkNews. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Nemzeti Választási Iroda - Országgyűlési Választás 2022". vtr.valasztas.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  12. ^ "Országos népszavazás". vtr.valasztas.hu (in Hungarian). Nemzeti Választási Iroda. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  13. ^ https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/hungarian-ngos-claim-referendum-court-fine-meant-to-silence-them/
  14. ^ https://www.amnesty.hu/after-the-failed-anti-lgbtqi-referendum-the-government-would-silence-ngos-with-fines/
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