Hungary parliament clears way for government's LGBT referendum as election nears

FILE PHOTO: A huge rainbow baloon put up by members of Amnesty International and Hatter, an NGO promoting LGBT rights, is seen at Hungary's parliament in protest against anti-LGBT law in Budapest, Hungary, July 8, 2021. REUTERS/Marton Monus

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's parliament passed a resolution on Tuesday which will empower the government to hold a referendum on LGBT issues, raising Prime Minister Viktor Orban's anti-LGBT campaign to a new level as he heads into a tough election race next year.

Orban, a nationalist who has been in power since 2010, this year proposed a referendum on ruling party legislation that limits schools' teaching about homosexuality and transgender issues, stepping up a culture war with the European Union.