Hungary museum head fired for not enforcing LGBTQ law

The head of the Hungarian National Museum was sacked on Monday (6 November) for “failing” to enforce a government order barring minors from an exhibition under a controversial law targeting LGBTQ content.

The Budapest Museum recently showcased the annual World Press Photo exhibition, which included a series of pictures of a community of older LGBTQ people in the Philippines.

After complaints from the far-right opposition party Our Homeland, the culture ministry instructed the museum to enforce a 2021 law against “promoting” homosexuality and bar those below the age of 18 from the exhibition.

People younger than 18 have been prohibited from visiting World Press Photo exhibition in Hungary’s National Museum in Budapest, after the government determined some photos violate a controversial law restricting LGBTQ+ content.#Hungary #LGBTQ #Art https://t.co/NSvsAFBBs4

— The World Reviews (@tworldreviews) November 2, 2023

The museum, however, told AFP last week that it “cannot legally enforce” the government order to ban minors from attending as it cannot ask for identity cards.

On Monday, Hungarian Culture and Innovation Minister Janos Csak terminated the employment of museum director Laszlo Simon with immediate effect, according to a statement.

It said that Simon had “failed to comply with the legal obligations expected of him”, adding that he “had engaged in conduct which made it impossible to continue his employment”.

Later on Monday, Simon said on Facebook he “takes note of the decision” but “cannot accept it”, stating that the museum “has not deliberately violated any law” by showing the pictures in the exhibition.

“I firmly reject the idea that our children should be protected from me or from the institution I run,” he said.

In 2021, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán passed a law against “promoting” homosexuality to minors, drawing criticism at home and abroad, including from the European Union.

EU leaders confront Hungary PM over LGBTQ law

EU leaders holding a summit Thursday (24 June) attacked Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over a new law in his country banning LGBTQ content in schools, which they view as homophobic and contrary to EU values.

As a former MP from Orbán’s right-wing Fidesz party, Simon also voted in favour of the controversial law.

Last week, Simon on Facebook mockingly thanked the deputy president of Our Homeland, Dora Duro, for drumming up interest in the exhibition.

Duro hit back on social media, accusing Simon of “sneering at his own government, which is unusual, because Viktor Orbán does not tolerate this sort of thing”.

Since coming to power in 2010, Orbán’s nationalist government has been frequently condemned for clamping down on critics.