Hungary's president blocks homophobic law
Online since today, 13.25
Hungarian President Katalin Novak has surprisingly rejected a new law that restricts the rights of homosexual and transgender people. Among other things, the law allows citizens to anonymously report same-sex couples raising children together.
The relevant text of the law is not in line with EU legal norms that are supposed to protect whistleblowers (whistleblowers, note) in institutions and companies, Novak wrote in a letter to parliament, as was made known last night.
It was the first time a head of state has objected to a law of great importance to Orban's ultraconservative ideology in the tenure of right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which has lasted since 2010. Novak - like her predecessors since 2010 - comes from Orban's FIDESZ party.
Indictment possible on ideological grounds
The offending law had been approved by the FIDESZ majority in parliament this month. In addition to provisions - which critics say are rather weak - to protect citizens who want to point out abuses and violations of the law in institutions and companies, it also contains a section that allows people to denounce their fellow citizens on ideological grounds.
This can be done, for example, if someone questions the traditional gender roles and family ideals enshrined in the Constitution or a child's right to his or her "identity according to the sex conceived at birth." In particular, according to the law, same-sex couples raising children together can be reported anonymously.
Under Orban, parliament has also previously passed laws restricting the rights of gay and transgender people. In a constitutional amendment, Orban had the dictum enshrined: "The father is a man, the mother a woman."
The president's veto means that parliament must renegotiate the law. In principle, however, it can also pass the law again in an unchanged version, against which the president would then no longer have any leverage.
red, ORF.at/agencies
Source (Austria)
Hungarian President Katalin Novak has surprisingly rejected a new law that restricts the rights of homosexual and transgender people. Among other things, the law allows citizens to anonymously report same-sex couples raising children together.
The relevant text of the law is not in line with EU legal norms that are supposed to protect whistleblowers (whistleblowers, note) in institutions and companies, Novak wrote in a letter to parliament, as was made known last night.
It was the first time a head of state has objected to a law of great importance to Orban's ultraconservative ideology in the tenure of right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which has lasted since 2010. Novak - like her predecessors since 2010 - comes from Orban's FIDESZ party.
Indictment possible on ideological grounds
The offending law had been approved by the FIDESZ majority in parliament this month. In addition to provisions - which critics say are rather weak - to protect citizens who want to point out abuses and violations of the law in institutions and companies, it also contains a section that allows people to denounce their fellow citizens on ideological grounds.
This can be done, for example, if someone questions the traditional gender roles and family ideals enshrined in the Constitution or a child's right to his or her "identity according to the sex conceived at birth." In particular, according to the law, same-sex couples raising children together can be reported anonymously.
Under Orban, parliament has also previously passed laws restricting the rights of gay and transgender people. In a constitutional amendment, Orban had the dictum enshrined: "The father is a man, the mother a woman."
The president's veto means that parliament must renegotiate the law. In principle, however, it can also pass the law again in an unchanged version, against which the president would then no longer have any leverage.
red, ORF.at/agencies
Source (Austria)
