Belgium’s EU commissioner will take part in Budapest Pride 2026 this weekend, which serves as one of Central Europe’s most politically significant LGBTQ+ resistance events.
During her visit the Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib will also meet members of the new Hungarian Government and Parliament.
In 2025, at least 350,000 marched in the “banned” 30th Budapest Pride March, dubbed the “March of Freedom.”
The march will end with the now traditional Rainbow Party in Budapest Park, the biggest LGBTQ party in the country.
Over the next few days the EU commission will also hold exchanges with civil society to discuss equality policies, in particular the rights of persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ community, Roma inclusion, and gender equality.
On Friday morning, the Commissioner will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Orbán, Minister of Interior, Gábor Pósfai, Minister of Social and Family Affairs, Vilmos Kátai-Németh, and Minister of Health, Zsolt Hegedűs.
She will then meet with the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs, Ildikó Sopov, and the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Legislation, Richárd Rák. In the afternoon, the Commissioner will meet Hungarian Government Commissioner for Social Policy Strategy, Kriszta Bódis. During those meetings, the Commissioner will exchange on EU equality policies, recent strategies and proposals.
On Saturday, Commissioner Lahbib will meet the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony.
An EC spokesman said, “They will notably discuss the role of cities for equality, in particular the Euro capitals of inclusion and diversity award and how we can make cities more inclusive for all, including for LGBTIQ+ people, Roma people and people with disabilities.”
She will go to the Central European University to speak with Pride organisers and human rights civil society organisations on EU policies for equality and human rights.
During this exchange, Commissioner Lahbib will reiterate the European Commission’s continued support to the LGBTIQ+ community, added the spokesman.
