Hungary to lift adoption restrictions for same-sex couples

The Hungarian government is set to amend adoption rules that, under Viktor Orbán, effectively barred same-sex couples from becoming adoptive parents. Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the move.

According to Magyar, decisions regarding child placement should be made by psychologists and child welfare experts, rather than politicians or ministers. The primary criterion should be whether a child can grow up in a loving and safe family, not the sexual orientation or marital status of the prospective parents.

Until 2020, same-sex couples could adopt children if one partner applied as a single individual. The Orbán government subsequently changed the law, requiring special ministerial approval for single-person adoptions—a measure that effectively closed this avenue to LGBTQ individuals. While same-sex marriage remains illegal in Hungary, registered partnerships are recognized.

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