Hungary ruling party seeks to ban adoptions for same-sex couples

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Hungary's right-wing governing party has introduced a constitutional amendment that would effectively ban child adoptions by same-sex couples.

Justice minister Judit Varga, a member of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz Party, announced the draft legislation Tuesday, under which Hungary's Fundamental Law would be altered to limit families eligible for adoption to those headed by a man and a woman.

"Hungary protects the institution of marriage as a cohabitation between a man and a woman on the basis of a voluntary decision, as well as the family as the basis for the survival of the nation," the text states.

"The basis of the family relationship is marriage or the parent-child relationship. The mother is a woman, the father is a man."

Although Hungarian law officially bans same-sex marriage, adoptions have sometimes been granted when one partner seeks permission as a single person. The law change, however, would require that only couples can adopt and exceptions would be granted only with express permission from Hungary's minister for family policy.

Varga said the proposal is intended to "serve the stronger protection of Hungarian families and the safety of children" in accordance with "the values ​​of the Christian culture of Hungary."

In May, Hungarian lawmakers approved a law barring transgender people from changing their birth gender on official documents.

"While more and more countries around the world are recognizing that same-sex couples can be just as good parents of a child, Hungary still fails to recognize that hundreds of same-sex couples already provide a loving, safe environment for their children," said the Hatter Society, a group that advocates for LGBT rights in Hungary.

"If the bill is passed, children awaiting adoption rejected by married couples would be adopted abroad rather than finding unmarried parents in Hungary."