Full Breakdown
Hungarian Prime Minister’s Adoption Law Shift Raises Hope for Gay Couple
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Government Moves to Amend Adoption Restrictions
On September 18, Reuters reported that Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced his administration will amend the 2020 adoption law that required the family affairs minister’s approval for single-parent adoptions. The change is expected to remove the de facto ban on gay and lesbian couples adopting by allowing each partner to apply as a single parent.
Background & Context: 2020 Ban Under Viktor Orban
When Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party passed the adoption amendment in 2020, single applicants—including gay individuals—had to obtain ministerial consent, effectively preventing gay couples from adopting. Prior to that rule, a gay partner could adopt as a single parent. Hungary, an EU member, recognizes civil unions but has never permitted same-sex marriage.
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Peter Magyar said his government “will amend that legislation,” signaling a reversal of Orban-era curbs on LGBTQ rights. Earlier this year, Bence Lakatos, a special-needs teacher, was deemed fit to adopt as a single parent, giving the couple a new pathway. The government has not provided a timeline for the legislative amendment.
On-the-Ground Reports
The couple, Jozsef Vanyovszki (graphics designer and online marketer) and Bence Lakatos (special-needs teacher), have pursued adoption since 2021. Vanyovszki described their initial meetings with social services as marked by an “unspoken inclination” that suggested an unfavorable decision. A Median poll indicated that more than half of Hungarians would reverse Orban’s LGBTQ curbs, while two-thirds support gay marriage and adoption.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We didn't feel outright hostility, but when we first met social services it was clear they had an unspoken inclination that led us to infer that a decision would go against us,” — Jozsef Vanyovszki
- “We have made no progress for three years, so we were expecting something to happen, but this still feels incredible,” — Jozsef Vanyovszki
