Budapest (dpa) – The marriage of same-sex couples tying the knot abroad must be acknowledged in Hungary as a registered partnership, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday.

The Budapest-based court gave parliament until October 31 this year to entrench the provision in law. It was responding to legal action brought by a Hungarian-German same-sex couple who had married in Germany.

Failure to implement

While same-sex marriage is not permitted in Hungary, the option of a registered partnership was introduced in 2009. In addition, a 2016 government regulation provided for same-sex marriages concluded abroad to be recognized as registered partnerships in Hungary. This provision has not been implemented, as the appropriate legislation has not been passed.

The Supreme Court has now decided that this failure is anti-constitutional, ruling that the protection and recognition of same-sex relationships are part of human dignity and the right to self-determination. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, which has been in power since 2010, seeks to restrict the rights of people who are not heterosexual.

Row over Budapest's Pride Parade

In the spring, parliament, where the conservative nationalist Fidesz holds a majority, created the basis for banning the annual Pride Parade celebrating the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people plus the wider queer community LGBT+ through changes to the law and the constitution.

Fidesz cites the need for protecting children as the grounds for the changes. Budapest's Pride Parade has been scheduled for Saturday June 28, but whether it will take place is not yet clear, with talks proceeding between police, the government and Budapest's liberal city council.

Justice Minister Bence Tuzson has proposed the city's horseracing track as a venue, as access can be restricted. The proposal drew a response from Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony. "I would like to inform the justice minister that the people demonstrating for freedom and love are people, and not horses," Karácsony said.

Author: heaney.william

Hungarian Supreme Court rules in favour of married same-sex couple

heaney.william