Charges dropped against Budapest mayor over 2025 Pride march

Budapest's liberal Mayor Gergely Karacsony had been charged with helping to organise the banned 2025 march. Charges dropped against Budapest mayor over 2025 Pride march Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Despite a police ban, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony attended the march in June 2025 A person wearing a jacket in the colours of the pride flag hugs Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony, who is wearing a black T-shirt and glasses. Hungarian prosecutors have dropped charges against Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony over his role in organising a Pride march last year. The event took place in June 2025, despite warnings of potential legal repercussions by Hungary's then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose government had passed a law banning public events involving the LGBTQ community. In a statement issued on Thursday, Hungarian prosecutors cited a landmark ruling from the EU's top court as its reason for dropping the charges. There was no immediate response from Karacsony. Budapest's annual pride march went ahead last year in spite of the ban, with organisers of the march saying at the time that a record 200,000 people took part. Speaking at the march, Karacsony said: "Neither freedom nor love can be banned in Budapest." Authorities charged him with organising the event in January. But in April, the European Court of Justice ruled that Hungary's anti-LGBTQ laws violate EU rules and infringe its values of equality and minority rights. The laws banned so-called promotion of homosexuality or gender change to under-18s, arguing it violated child protection laws. Citing that ruling on Thursday, Hungarian prosecutors announced that the charges had been dropped. "Considering the ruling by the European Court... the prosecutors dropped charges against the Budapest mayor for violating the law on freedom of assembly," they said in a statement. The ruling came nine days after Hungarians voted to end Orbán's 16-year era of continuous rule. Péter Magyar was later sworn in as the country's new prime minister. The ruling came nine days after Hungarians voted to end Orbán's 16-year era of continuous rule. Péter Magyar was later sworn in as the country's new prime minister. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar (L) reacts as he is welcomed by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (R) prior a bilateral meeting in the Berlaymont building EU hails Hungary's 'wind of change' and unlocks €16.4bn for new PM Magyar Protester in Budapest holds a rainbow flag after Hungary bans Pride marches Hungary's president has refused Prime Minister Péter Magyar's demands to step aside, setting up a constitutional clash. The deal is a significant boost for Hungary's leader, who has been in office for less than three weeks. Nearly a month ago Péter Magyar steered his Tisza party to a landslide victory, sweeping away 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán. The couple tied the knot at Sant Ffraed House near Abergavenny surrounded by family and friends. Workers will not be able to promote events, including Pride, on the council's social media channels. There are a number of Pride events taking place across the West this summer. Passed by MPs, the bill proposes prison sentences for people identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Organisers, who feared for the safety of the venue, have a change of heart after "community support".