John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The swing towards the right in eastern Europe is worrying and we can all agree on this. We are moving towards the unfortunate re-imposition of repressive regimes of the past. Recently, Amnesty International described the new laws as an attempt by the Hungarian Government to spread hatred and we can also agree on this. The organisation has also claimed the Orbán Government is putting the lives of innocent people at risk of cruel political campaigns. The Orbán regime, which has ruled Hungary since 2010, has enacted a socially conservative policy agenda, shaping the EU member state into what he calls a bastion against liberal ideologies.

This legislation should not be taken in isolation. Last December, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a package of measures enshrining what is seen as the traditional family, effectively banning adoption by same-sex couples. In May 2020, a ban on legally changing one's gender came into force, with rights groups warning this would expose transgender Hungarians to discrimination. In 2018, a Government decree effectively banned universities from teaching courses on gender studies. This legislation should not be taken in isolation. We need to stand up to it but we also need to take serious measures to stop the spread of far right hatred, particularly in eastern European countries.

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