Hungary has pulled out of the annual Eurovision Song Contest as the country sees a surge in anti-LGBTI+ sentiment under a far-right government.
Speaking to The Guardian, a staff member at MTVA – Hungary’s public broadcaster – said that no official reason was given for the decision, it was assumed that Prime Minister Victor Orban’s government did not want to celebrate the LGBTIQ+ supportive culture of the event.
“I was not surprised,” the source said, “It comes from the organisational culture of MTVA.”
The Guardian was also told that MTVA were discouraged from broadcasting positive coverage of LGBTIQ+ issues, except during Budapest’s Pride season.
Other Hungarian media have also speculated that the glitzy competition is “too gay” for Prime Minister Orban’s government.
“Instead of taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2020, we will support the valuable productions created by the talents of Hungarian pop music directly,” MTVA’s official statement read.
Eurovision organisers, The European Broadcasting Union, said it is not uncommon for EBU members to take breaks from the competition, noting Hungary had pulled out of the song contest before.
“We hope to welcome their broadcaster MTVA back to the Eurovision song contest family soon.”
Prime Minister Orban has repeatedly spoken of his belief that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, while many members of Orban’s Fidesz Party have spoken out against the LGBTIQ+ community.
Earlier this year, MP Laszlo Kover called for a boycott of Coca-Cola after the company used a gay couple in their marketing campaign.
Homosexuality has been decriminalised in Hungary since 1961, and while same-sex couples are eligible to register their partnerships, they cannot marry under Hungary’s current constitution.
OIP Staff
