Luxembourg Proposes Referendum On Hungary's EU Membership Over Anti-LGBT Law

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn on Wednesday called for a referendum on Hungary's European Union membership over the recently passed law on so-called LGBTQ propaganda among children.

"There needs to be a referendum in the EU on whether the EU wants to continue to tolerate Orban [Hungarian Prime Minister]," Asselborn told German newspaper Der Spiegel.

The minister added that he was convinced that "the result will clearly be negative."

According to Asselborn, such a step would allow "in one fell swoop" to resolve the debate on EU measures against Hungary, including depriving the country of the right to vote in the Council under Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union.

The minister pointed to the lack of an instrument for a pan-European referendum and urged for considering introducing such a measure.

Earlier in the day, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that the country will organize a referendum on the LGBTQ law.

The legislation prohibiting the distribution of content portraying homosexuality and gender change at schools went into effect in the country on July 7 despite mounting criticism from the European Union. Under Orban, Hungary has introduced several laws targeting the LGBTQ community, including preventing same-sex couples from adopting children and banning people from legally changing their gender.

The EU announced on July 15 its plans to launch legal action against Hungary and Poland over anti-LGBT laws.