Response to interpellation 2024/25:539 on Budapest Pride

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Madam Speaker! In light of the fact that Hungary has introduced legislation that in practice prohibits the organizing of and participation in pride events, Johan Büser has asked me what I think about this decision, what consequences this should have for Hungary, and what measures will be taken from the Swedish side.

That Sweden should be a strong voice for the equal rights and opportunities of hbtqi persons in Sweden, in the EU and globally is self-evident. Everyone should be able to love whom they want and be who they want without fear of reprisals.

I, together with the rest of the government, feel deep concern regarding the situation for LGBTQI persons in Hungary, something that I and several of my government colleagues have expressed ourselves on recently. With the new legislation, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are also being restricted in the country. These are human rights guaranteed by, among other things, articles 19 and 21 of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

To restrict both the equal rights and opportunities of LGBTQI persons as well as the freedom of assembly and freedom of expression in this way is, of course, very serious. Hungary, like all EU member states, is obliged to guarantee these rights.

Sweden is actively working within the EU to ensure that all member states respect the EU's common values and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Together with 15 other member states and the European Parliament, Sweden intervened in support of the European Commission in its action against Hungary regarding Hungary's so-called child protection law, which the Commission considered, among other things, to be discriminatory against hbtqi persons.

Sweden's position in these matters is well-known and unchanged. Sweden will also continue to take all opportunities to stand up for hbtqi persons' full enjoyment of human rights in Sweden, in Hungary, throughout the EU and in other places in the world.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Johan Büser (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you to the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the answer!

Madam Speaker! The background to the interpellation, besides the fact that this is a very important and central issue, is that my party and I were contacted by the chairman of Stockholm Pride, Mikael Budryk, who expressed a very strong concern over what is currently happening in Hungary.

Madam Speaker! Budapest Pride is more than a festival. It is a symbol of freedom, of courage and of human rights. It is a place where people have been able to feel pride in a society where they have long been forced to hide who they are.

This year, Budapest Pride was supposed to celebrate its 30th anniversary as the first pride festival in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain. But in March, the Hungarian parliament passed a law that makes it illegal to organize or participate in events concerning "homosexuality". It thus makes pride illegal. It makes visibility illegal, and it is an attempt to ban love. This is not just an attack against hbtqi persons, but it is an attack on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and the EU's most fundamental values.

Madam Speaker! This is not an isolated Hungarian problem, but it is part of a broader pattern. We see it in Russia, where all pride activities are prohibited. We see it in Uganda, where homosexuals now risk the death penalty. We see it even in the USA, where states under Trump's leadership have begun to ban teaching about gender identity and withdraw protections for trans people. In Poland, there has been a debate about LGBTQ-free zones. We see it, therefore, in many places.

We must speak about what is happening in our own union. Hungary is an EU member. This is an attack from the inside – a member state that is now forbidding people from gathering and expressing their identity. I appreciate the Foreign Minister's words about concern. I appreciate the Foreign Minister's commitment to these issues. I know that the commitment exists, and it should not be diminished.

But it is not strange that hbtqi people here in Sweden also now feel a growing anxiety, which the chairman of Stockholm Pride also flags. When rights are taken away in democratic countries, one wonders how safe one is oneself.

My question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs is therefore: Will Sweden, within the EU and bilaterally, take concrete measures to support the organizers behind Budapest Pride and clearly signal against the Hungarian legislation? This could, for example, be done through diplomatic presence, through support for civil society, or through measures within the EU's rule of law mechanism.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the answer! And thank you, Johan Büser, for the opportunity to debate an important issue!

I have asked similar questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, so we may have reason to discuss this here again on April 22. I would like to say, like Johan Büser, that I am very proud that we in Sweden are still quite in agreement when it comes to precisely these questions. I believe it is important for hbtqi activists and hbtqi persons in the EU and Europe, but above all in Hungary, to know that there are countries that stand behind them. There are countries that make a stand. There are countries that take a clear position in issues concerning their right to exist.

But despite that the EU has clear provisions in, among other things, the European Convention but also in what we collectively call the European values, we see that country after country in the EU is heading in the wrong direction when it comes precisely to protecting the rights of LGBTQI persons. Johan Büser mentioned some examples. Another example from quite recently is Bulgaria, which, inspired by Hungary, has introduced such anti-LGBTQI propaganda laws.

What is telling and a recurring pattern is that it concerns parties from the far right. These are parties that have been quite clear about what they intend to do and in what way they intend to limit people's freedom of action in what is a democracy, or what remains of the democracy that once existed.

It is as Johan Büser said: LGBTQ+ people in Sweden are, of course, worried. They are not worried because they believe that this government will introduce some law that would limit their scope of action, but they are worried because they do not know what the future will bring.

There is, in fact, a party in Sweden's Riksdag that has close ties and has had close ties with Fidesz in Hungary. It is the Sweden Democrats, and we are not going to move away from that. We are not going to move away from the fact that the Sweden Democrats have spoken out very critically against various LGBTQI rights and various reforms that would strengthen LGBTQI persons' room for maneuver in a democracy.

This is something that I am also worried about. For, Madam Speaker, I believe it is dangerous to be naive in the times we live in. We see Donald Trump on the other side of the Atlantic, which Johan Büser also highlights. We also see what is happening in Turkey. In Turkey, we have a Swedish journalist who is imprisoned. There, the opposition politician İmamoğlu is also imprisoned. But everything started in February when they imprisoned the editor-in-chief of the largest LGBTQI organization's newspaper. That is how it started.

We see a pattern, then: When you want to restrict democracy, you attack LGBTQI people first. And why is that? It is because they are extremely vulnerable. It is they, above all, in countries that have a conservative vein and in countries where religion plays a major role, as it does in Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria, and so on.

I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs: In what way does Sweden intend to further support hbtqi organizations, especially in Hungary, as that is what the interpellation debate is about?

It is, of course, about taking a stand, and it is very good that one condemns and marks clearly. But one must also support. I would like to know in what way the government intends to do that. What concrete measures does the Foreign Minister intend to take when it comes to supporting, above all, LGBTQI organizations in Hungary?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Madam Speaker! It is clear that Sweden should be a strong voice for the equal rights and opportunities of hbtqi persons in Sweden, in the EU and globally. This is, for me personally, an incredibly important issue.

Sweden, which is often regarded as a pioneer in issues of human rights, has a very important role to play on the international arena. We must not only work to continue to improve the situation for hbtqi persons in our own country but also support and inspire other countries to follow suit. We must also never take successes in this area for granted, but I believe that we must win them over and over again.

Unfortunately, we are now seeing setbacks in many places around the world. I, together with the rest of the government, feel, as mentioned, very great concern for the development for hbtqi persons in Hungary. Sweden is actively working within the EU to ensure that all member states respect our common values. Together with 15 other member states and the European Parliament, Sweden intervened in support of the European Commission in a lawsuit against Hungary regarding this child protection law, which the Commission considered to be discriminatory against hbtqi persons, as I mentioned in the interpellation response. A ruling in the case is expected during 2025.

The EU has different tools, in connection with Johan Büsers' question, to handle potential violations. When it concerns national legislation that is considered to violate EU law, the first step is often for the Commission to initiate an infringement procedure. If the problem is not resolved, an infringement procedure can lead to the Commission subsequently bringing an action against the responsible Member State before the Court of Justice of the EU. This is precisely what has happened in the case of the Hungarian child protection law. The Court also has the possibility to establish certain economic sanctions. I think it is very important that Sweden has now also chosen to intervene in the case.

Sweden's government has a clear and important stance. We are strong in our support for human rights regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We will continue to be.

Just as Johan Büser points out, it is not just about Europe and Hungary, but about many places around the world. I visited Uganda myself not so long ago and sat down with representatives from organizations that we from the Swedish side support with funds, among other things so that they can hire legal counsel in cases where people have been prosecuted for actions involving hbtqi persons in public. This is something that I am very proud that we do and where we can really make a difference, and I hope that we will continue to do so.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Johan Büser (S)

Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the answer. I know that we, in substance, share the same concern regarding the developments in Hungary when it comes to these issues.

Hungary's pride ban is, as mentioned, not an accident. It is part of a larger, authoritarian, international strategy that starts by silencing minorities and stigmatizing hbtqi people and gradually attacks large parts of civil society. It is the same pattern that we see in other countries where democracy is in retreat. Currently, there are far too many countries that fall under that.

Hungary violates the EU treaty. Article 2 establishes that the union is based on respect for human rights, minority rights, and equality. Sweden should push, and shall continue to push, for the EU to use the mechanisms that actually exist, both legal and economic, when a member state systematically violates these principles.

Just as my colleague Member of Parliament Daniel Vencu pointed out, we here at home must also look after our own backyard. In that backyard, we find the Sverigedemokraterna.

I can only regret that the Moderates in a governing position have chosen to cooperate with this party. The Sweden Democrats have time and again shown how they view the LGBTQ+ movement. We have heard prominent SD politicians say that pride is "a perverted hype," that rainbow flags do not belong on public buildings, and that RFSL's school visits are sex propaganda. We have also heard representatives equate participation in the pride parades with legitimizing pedophilia. It is appalling, and it creates concern. Unfortunately, it also undermines the trust that the government fully, one hundred percent, stands up for LGBTQ+ people's rights even here at home.

It is important here that the Minister for Foreign Affairs is clear. I also think we have seen that the Minister for Foreign Affairs' commitment has been clear in these issues. But I would still like to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs: How does the Minister for Foreign Affairs view the fact that the government's coalition partner, Sverigedemokraterna, consistently questions pride and the LGBTQI movement in Sweden? How does she view the risk that this could affect the government's credibility in these issues?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for this debate.

It is clear that we are in many respects in agreement on these issues. That is something I am proud of, as I said earlier. Sweden is, as the Foreign Minister said, a symbol of freedom and a pioneer when it comes to human rights for hbtqi persons.

I would like to link to what Johan Büser said: The concerns of LGBTQI people in Sweden are very much about the Sweden Democrats and the statements that have been made. Things and matters do not exist in a vacuum. The Sweden Democrats are part of the broad movement spreading across the world where there is a specific focus on restricting the scope of action for LGBTQI people.

I believe that the Foreign Minister needs to reflect a bit on whether the government base will promote hbtqi rights in the long term, both in Sweden and in the world, or not. I am convinced that the Moderaterna and the Foreign Minister have a commitment to these issues, but when such forces are legitimized, it can go very far. We have seen that in the countries mentioned here earlier, Madam Speaker.

Due to what is happening in Hungary, I would like the Foreign Minister to continue with their strong support for LGBTQI people both in the EU and in the rest of the world. But I also want some answers: What will the government do? How will LGBTQI organizations in the world be supported? We see aid that is unfortunately withdrawing in many places. We also see that there is no clear LGBTQI strategy when it is precisely those rights that are being restricted in country after country.

Does the Minister for Foreign Affairs have any answers on how to support hbtqi organizations going forward?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Madam Speaker! With the new legislation that has been adopted in Hungary, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are thus being restricted in the country. I and other ministers in the government, as well as several of my ministerial colleagues in the EU, have clearly expressed our concern over this development in recent times.

The European Commission has the task of ensuring compliance with the EU's common values. Sweden fully supports the Commission in this very important work. I and the rest of the government also, of course, follow the developments and consider which different alternatives are available.

The Swedish work in this area is also expected to continue contributing to the work at the EU level, just as the EU work can support the national level in Sweden and in other Member States.

Then I can only refer to what the Prime Minister said not so long ago and which I agree with: Hungary is not doing much right at the moment, but is moving faster and further away from a free Europe.

Then I want to be very clear: There is no doubt whatsoever about where the Moderates and the government stand. We stand up for the rights of LGBTQI people. And it was not a Social Democratic Prime Minister who was the first to march in a pride parade. It was Fredrik Reinfeldt. Nor was it a Social Democratic Prime Minister who was the first to fly a pride flag at Sagerska palatset. It was Ulf Kristersson. There is, therefore, no doubt whatsoever.

We stand up for individuals' freedom and rights to be who they want to be and love whom they want to love. It is something we do not compromise on.

I too am concerned about the more traditional winds blowing across the world and also over Sweden. Unfortunately, we have also seen a number of very tragic cases in our marginalized areas where people coming from other countries have values where hbtqi-persons are not accepted. It is, of course, something that we also must work very intensively on.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Johan Büser (S)

Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the answers to the questions in my interpellation.

I do not doubt the Foreign Minister's personal commitment to these issues. I also do not doubt that both Fredrik Reinfeldt and many other Moderates, both here in the chamber and around the country, stand up for the rights of hbtqi persons and truly believe in the idea that one should have the right to love whoever one wants. What we Social Democrats are critical of in the matter is what we have pointed out: the backyard where the Sverigedemokrater are located and the very serious statements that have been made.

The Sweden Democrats are part of the current government base. We can regret it, and we are afraid of it, that it could mean a risk when it comes to these issues further ahead if the Sweden Democrats are to continue to be part of a government base to the right.

Madam Speaker! When an EU country bans pride, one does not only ban an event. That is what I began by saying. One bans people from being seen, from being heard, and from existing. We in Sweden have a responsibility to act and to reflect, because we must not believe that our rights are unshakeable. They must be defended every day, in every decision, and in every alliance.

Sweden is and has been a pioneer for LGBTQI rights. We shall continue to be. I share that vision with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. It requires that we not only speak but also act.

Madam Speaker! I submitted this interpellation against the background of the chairman of Stockholm Pride reaching out and feeling a strong concern regarding the ban on Budapest Pride. But there is also a concern among many LGBTQI people here at home. We must take that seriously, and we must cooperate on this, in order to stand up for all people's equal value.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Madam Speaker! I believe that Johan Büser and I are very much in agreement in our commitment. I am happy to work in lockstep with Johan Büser on these issues, because they are so important. The Government also has a broad commitment, which I have emphasized.

In January, we presented a new action plan for the equal rights and opportunities of hbtqi persons, called Stolt och trygg. It aims to further strengthen the work in the area by consolidating, complementing, and pooling resources. This also includes, of course, the government's international work on these issues.

It is exactly as Johan Büser says. We must work in Sweden in a number of different areas to win these rights every day, also internationally. Everyone should be able to love whoever they want and be whoever they want without any fear of reprisals.

Sweden will also continue to take every opportunity to stand up for LGBTQI persons' full enjoyment of human rights in Sweden, Hungary, the rest of the EU and in other places in the world. I would like to thank you for a very important interpellation and look forward to returning to these important issues.

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

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