Recent Legislation and Jurisprudence in Hungary on Religious Freedom (2023-2024)

Abstract

As a landlocked country with no colonial legacy, both migration to Hungary and the encounter with other cultures have been limited for centuries. Especially in the 20th century, more Hungarians have left the country due to the troubled history of the country than foreigners arrived. The challenge of coexistence has focused on neighbouring nations, different Christian denominations and to Jews who became highly integrated in the society in the course of the 19th century. From the age of wars between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire (15-17th centuries) there is a deeply rooted perception that regards Hungary as a bulwark of the Christian West against Islam. Although the anti-Turkish sentiments have widely disappeared, the feeling of being a small and endangered nation with a unique culture is deeply rooted. Mass immigration is generally seen as a danger for the national culture, security and the established way of life. The Constitution clearly recognises the impact of Christianity in the history of Hungary as well as the duty of the state to defend the Christian culture of Hungary. This is not formulated in a hostile way towards other religions but clearly favours preservation of the historically emerged cultural landscape. Also the responsibility of the political nation towards the cultural community is clearly stated.