Two senior Vooruit members, including a federal minister, are calling on Belgium to take the Hungarian government to Europe's top human rights court over its recent ban on Pride parades.
Regional Flemish Minister Caroline Gennez has urged the Federal Government to file a complaint against Hungary at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
This call is supported by fellow party member and federal Equalities Ministerm Rob Beenders.
Last month, the Hungarian parliament overwhelmingly approved an amendment enshrining a ban on pride parades of the LGBTQI+ community in the constitution.
The amendment officially recognises only two genders: male and female. "This happening in an EU Member State is shocking and incredibly dangerous," Gennez stated on Wednesday.
"What we’re witnessing is a typical tactic from the authoritarian handbook. You target a vulnerable minority. You test how far you can push without much resistance. You push further. Under authoritarian regimes, no one is safe. First, it’s the LGBTQI+ community, then women’s rights, and tomorrow it’s anyone arbitrarily deemed a threat by the government."
Gennez is therefore advocating for Belgium to lodge a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The court’s rulings are binding for all 46 Member States of the Council of Europe. Should a country be condemned, it is required to take measures to rectify the injustice and prevent its recurrence.
