Dublin: A number of Irish political leaders are participating in today’s Budapest Pride March to express solidarity with Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community, defying a government ban that threatens participants with legal consequences. The Hungarian government recently enacted legislation criminalising the organisation and participation in Pride events, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
Among those joining the march are Green Party TD Roderic O’Gorman, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh, and Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú. They will be marching alongside political representatives from across the European Union in a show of collective support for LGBTQ+ rights.
Despite the ban, Budapest’s left-leaning mayor has designated the parade as a municipal event. Authorities, however, have warned participants of strict enforcement measures. Hungarian police have reportedly been instructed to use facial recognition software to identify attendees and organisers. Participants risk fines of up to €500, while organisers may face up to a year in prison.
Irish Leaders Condemn Hungarian Crackdown
Speaking ahead of the event, Minister Roderic O’Gorman called on Ireland’s Foreign Minister to summon the Hungarian ambassador and voice Ireland’s concerns over what he described as a blatant attack on fundamental human rights.
MEP Maria Walsh criticised ongoing human rights abuses against LGBTQ+ individuals and women in Hungary, calling for stronger European solidarity. Cynthia Ní Mhurchú added that the legislation banning the march was “an affront to civil liberties within the EU”, noting, “This is not Russia. This is the European Union, where equality and diversity are core values.”
Varadkar: “Europe Must Remain Vigilant”
Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also condemned the Hungarian government’s actions while attending an LGBTQ+ rights conference in Budapest. Describing the Pride ban as “deeply disappointing”, Varadkar accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of orchestrating a political strategy rooted in far-right ideology ahead of the country’s general election.
“We are all European citizens. We share the same rights—freedom of speech, self-expression, and equality before the law,” Varadkar said. “If those rights can be dismantled in one EU country, they are vulnerable elsewhere.”
He recalled that Orbán’s party, Fidesz, was suspended from the European People’s Party due to its increasingly illiberal policies. He also noted growing divisions between Ireland and Hungary over issues such as Ukraine, LGBTQ+ rights, and democratic norms.
Activists in Ireland and across Europe are warning that the rise of far-right ideologies could lead to increased transphobia and erosion of hard-won freedoms if left unchallenged.
Dublin Pride Parade Celebrates a Decade of Progress
Meanwhile, thousands gathered in Dublin today for the annual Pride Parade, which will begin at 12:30 PM on O’Connell Street and proceed 1.4 km along Merrion Street Lower. The parade commemorates the 10th anniversary of Ireland’s landmark Marriage Equality and Children’s Rights referendums—milestones that transformed the country’s legal and cultural landscape.
Participants will continue celebrations at the ‘Pride Village’ in Merrion Square, featuring live music, art installations, and community engagement tents. Organisers emphasised that the event is alcohol-free and inclusive, inviting all allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community to participate without registration.
“This parade is a tribute to liberation,” organisers said. “Long before it was called Pride, it was known as Liberation Day. The Sexual Liberation Movement held the first Dublin Pride March in 1974, and we continue to honour that legacy.”
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