Budapest held its first Pride march since the fall of Viktor Orban's government, and the atmosphere was electric. Thousands lined the streets of the Hungarian capital, waving rainbow flags and cheering, as the parade wound through the city centre. For years, such displays were muted, shadowed by a regime that painted LGBTQ+ visibility as a threat to traditional values.
Now, with a new administration in place, the mood is one of cautious celebration. British LGBTQ+ leaders have been quick to applaud the shift. Peter Tatchell, the veteran human rights campaigner, described it as a 'triumph for the human spirit.
' He noted that Hungary's journey mirrors the struggles faced by queer communities everywhere. 'When authoritarianism falls, the first thing people do is reclaim their right to love,' he said. On the streets of Budapest, that reclamation was palpable.
I spoke to Anna, a 24 year old student who had never felt safe enough to attend Pride before. 'I used to watch from my window, too scared to join in,' she told me, her eyes bright. 'Today, I am here with my girlfriend.
We are holding hands. It feels like a dream.' The parade itself was a riot of colour: drag queens on floats, families with children, elderly couples marching arm in arm.
There were tears and laughter, but also a quiet determination. This was not just a party. It was a statement.
The cultural shift is undeniable. For a decade, Orban's government used LGBTQ+ rights as a wedge issue, stoking fear and division. School curricula were purged of any mention of homosexuality.
Adoption by same sex couples was banned. The message was clear: queer people did not belong. Now, the pendulum is swinging back.
But change does not happen overnight. There is still residual fear, a wariness born from years of state sanctioned prejudice. Yet, the sheer turnout suggests a hunger for normalcy.
Organisers estimated 50,000 participants, a record. British politicians have been quick to weigh in. Keir Starmer called it 'a beacon of hope for democrats everywhere.
' The foreign office has pledged support for Hungary's new government in its efforts to dismantle Orban's anti-LGBTQ+ laws. But for those on the ground, the real measure of progress is personal. As the parade ended, a middle aged man named Gabor embraced his partner.
'We waited so long for this,' he said. 'Now we can start living.' The journey ahead is long, but Budapest has taken its first step.
And for many, that is enough.
