EU Commission Under Pressure to Attend Budapest Pride
A group of 60 members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to be "visibly present" at next month’s Budapest Pride, amid growing criticism of the EU executive’s inaction over Hungary’s crackdown on the LGBTQ community.
In a letter seen by Euractiv, lawmakers from five political groups across the political spectrum expressed their "deep disappointment" that the office of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had urged her commissioners not to attend Budapest Pride. This move was first reported by Euractiv on Monday.
The Commission issued a denial on Tuesday, but MEPs have continued to pressure the Commission president into changing course. In the strongly-worded letter, the MEPs accuse the Commission of "failing to fulfil its duties" and showing "weakness and a lack of solidarity" with Europe’s LGBTQ community.
The letter, which was obtained by Euractiv, asks von der Leyen to "reconsider" her position and "ensure that the Commission is visibly present at Budapest Pride". The MEPs argue that "now more than ever… all those who believe in freedom and dignity for all need to see that the European Union is truly their ally".
According to Euractiv, multiple sources have revealed that the Commission is seeking to avoid provoking Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán by sending high-level officials to the event, Hungary’s largest Pride march. The Hungarian parliament passed a law in March enabling Pride marches to be banned and participants surveilled.
"If the European Commission truly wishes to stand alongside the LGBTIQ+ community, it cannot refrain from supporting peaceful demonstrations for equality out of fear of ‘provoking’ Viktor Orbán’s government," the 60 MEPs say. This sentiment was conveyed in the letter obtained by Euractiv.
The letter adds to a growing pile of appeals to the Commission to react more forcefully to support the Pride march. The President of the liberal Renew Europe group, Valérie Hayer, also sent a letter calling on the Commission to take provisional legal measures to allow the march to go ahead.
In a show of solidarity, 17 EU countries signed a declaration on Monday condemning Hungary’s crackdown on the LGBTQ community. The European Commission has said it cannot confirm commissioners’ travel plans for late June. Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath, who oversees the bloc’s rule of law mechanisms, told Euractiv’s The Capitals that he is "not in a position" to attend Budapest Pride, but that they are "not ruling out seeking" the measures requested by Hayer and others.
The pressure on the Commission to attend Budapest Pride is mounting, with many MEPs and EU countries calling for the EU executive to take a stronger stance in support of the LGBTQ community. As reported by Euractiv, the Commission’s inaction has been met with criticism from across the EU, with many accusing the EU executive of failing to uphold the rights of the LGBTQ community.
In response to the growing criticism, the Commission must now decide whether to heed the calls of the MEPs and EU countries, or to maintain its current stance. As Euractiv continues to report, the situation is likely to remain a contentious issue in the coming weeks.
