Hungary’s first gay minister comes out at film festival

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Hungarian Socialist Gábor Szetey became the first elected political official in Hungary to publicly come out as being gay when he opened the 12th Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Film and Cultural Festival in Budapest last week.

According to DPA, Mr Szetey’s announcement came on the same day as junior coalition member the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) announced that it would ask for same-sex unions to be legalised.

All Hungary News reports that Mr Szetey said in his speech:

“My name is Gábor Szetey. I am the personnel state secretary of the government of the Republic of Hungary. I believe in God, love, freedom and equality.

“I am Hungarian and European. I am an economist and a personnel leader. I am a partner, a friend, sometimes an opponent. And I am gay.”

The 38-year-old politician also said it took him 28 years to accept his own identity, which he could never talk about with his now deceased mother, according to AHN.

He added that he hoped his public coming out will make it easier for other Hungarians to do the same.

He is the second Hungarian politician to come out publicly after Klára Ungár, a member of the liberal party SZDSZ.

His admission provoked a muted response, with Tibor Navracsics, Parliamentary caucus leader of the main right-of-centre opposition party Fidesz, saying his party considered Mr Szetey’s sexuality a private matter.

Mr Szetey has been working as a state secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office since last July.

As a leader of the personnel centre of the government, his tasks include achievement-based personnel evaluation for increased effectiveness in state administration.

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