People are free in a state where the consequences of their actions are predictable and where clean and transparent rules apply not only to them, but also to state authorities. In a state where the people know what the state expects from them, but they also know what they can expect from the state.
In April 2026, the Hungarian parliamentary elections will be a pivotal moment for democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law in Hungary and for the entire European Union. There is a serious likelihood that they will be marred, yet again, by grave violations of both domestic and international standards for democratic elections.
As an electoral body, the Hungarian National Election Commission is unable to level the playing field, which favours the governing parties.
Study on Innovative Practices of Civil Society Regarding the EU Rule of Law Toolbox
Since the last general election on 3 April 2022, the Hungarian Parliament has passed several amendments to the legal framework relating to elections.
In December 2022, European Union institutions suspended and tied to conditions Hungary’s access to EU funds under various procedures due to severe breaches of the rule of law and human rights. Ahead of the upcoming … Read more
Persistent systemic challenges continue to affect Hungary’s compliance with OSCE commitments related to democratic elections. Numerous long-standing OSCE/ODIHR recommendations remain unaddressed. The most pressing issues cumulatively contribute to an electoral environment that questions the overall fairness of the process.
Háttér Society, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU), and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) have jointly submitted input to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association for her 2026 thematic report … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has submitted its response to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders for her forthcoming and final report to the 61st session of the Human Rights Council. The call for … Read more
Breaches of judges’ freedom of expression have been a long-standing problem in Hungary. The individual instances may not be as blatant as in the case of Poland, however, the issue is persistent. For a long … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee participated at the 2025 OSCE Human Dimension Conference. This 11-day conference was dedicated to discussions on the condition of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the OSCE area. The conference provided … Read more
Two new resources developed under the Horizon Europe–funded RED-SPINEL project provide practical guidance for civil society and legal professionals on how to anticipate, detect, and respond to rule of law backsliding and fundamental rights violations across Europe.
The Article 7(1) TEU procedure against Hungary was launched by the European Parliament in 2018 to assess whether there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the Union’s fundamental values. Since then, the … Read more
Seven Hungarian civil society organisations submitted a third-party intervention to the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Others v. Georgia (Application no. 31069/24). The case was filed on behalf of 140 complainants following the adoption of Georgia’s Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence which infringes the rights of independent civil society organisations and private individuals.
The Hungarian Government uses its power arbitrarily to discourage people from attending the Pécs Pride in 2025. According to an amendment adopted by the Parliament, attending Pride will be considered a petty offence. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) and the Streetlawyer Association (Utcajogász) teamed up to answer your questions. Most importantly, the more people attend Pride, the less risky it becomes for everyone. Our Q&A will help you prepare for possible outcomes, and if proceedings are initiated against you, you can count on us!
Mapping paper on the public consultation on draft laws, parliamentary law-making, and the perpetuated states of exception
Civil society organisations warn that the functioning of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, the country’s national human rights institution, continues to fall short of international standards, failing to protect human rights and vulnerable communities. They remind that the new Commissioner, who will have to be nominated shortly, should be selected in a transparent and merit-based procedure.
In a stark display of authoritarian overreach and discriminatory intent, the Budapest police have banned this year’s LGBTQI march scheduled for June 1 – marking the first known use of Hungary’s newly expanded “anti-Pride” law to block a peaceful demonstration. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Hungary, Háttér Society, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Rainbow Mission Foundation, and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, condemn the move as a politically motivated violation of the fundamental right to peaceful assembly, calling out the government’s hollow denials of Pride bans as falsehoods.
A new proposal for a law would allow the Hungarian government to blacklist a broad range of for-profit and non-profit entities, severely limiting their ability to operate. Hungarian civil society organisations explain the details and how the law would silence watchdogs and shield government abuse.
A new legislative proposal marks a dark turn in Hungary’s erosion of democratic norms. Disguised as a transparency measure to prevent sovereignty threats, the Bill on the Transparency of Public Life aims to starve and strangle civil society, independent media and any legal entity that the government decides to target.
The European Union’s conditionality framework plays a crucial role in safeguarding the rule of law, fundamental rights, and financial integrity within Member States. The 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility … Read more