Hungary - May 2025

On 27 May, Hungary’s Justice Committee approved the ‘On the Transparency of Public Life’ bill, proposed by the ruling Fidesz party. The bill would empower the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) to investigate and blacklist organizations receiving foreign-sourced funds without prior government approval, including EU grants deemed a threat to national sovereignty. Blacklisted groups would face restrictions on donations and be required to prove domestic funding sources. International human rights groups condemned it for threatening civil society, press freedom, and private organizations. The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights urged lawmakers to amend or reject the bill, citing violations of legality, necessity, and proportionality principles. The bill sparked mass protests, and though initially expected to pass in mid-June, the vote was postponed until after the summer due to internal party debate.

Sources: Deutsche Welle, Civil Rights Defenders, Politico, France 24, The Guardian, Euronews (1), Europa FM, Index, Reuters, Council of Europe, Euronews (2)