Ultra-Right Homophobic Disinformation in Czech and Hungarian Elections

Rising Homophobia in Prague

In June 2024, Zuzana Huszár, 29, returned home from her job at a queer safe space in Prague to find her partner, Tereza Misha, distressed. Misha, 27, reported that she had been “shamed” and received “hateful comments” due to her queer appearance. She is among many in the LGBTI community facing escalating hate-motivated violence, which has risen from 11 percent in 2019 to 14 percent in 2023, as per an EU Fundamental Rights Agency report.

Spread of Anti-LGBT Disinformation

Katrin Hugendubel, advocacy director of ILGA-Europe, an LGBTI advocacy group, stated, “This growing phenomenon of anti-LGBT hate speech in Europe is a result of disinformation narratives against LGBT+ spread by conservative actors and exploited for political gains by the far-right.” The European Commission defines disinformation as content intentionally designed to deceive or secure economic or political gain, potentially causing public harm.

Conservative Groups’ Role in Disinformation

Hugendubel highlighted a coordinated effort by local conservative groups and international partners to spread anti-LGBT disinformation. A three-month investigation in the Visegrad Four (V4) countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland—uncovered ultraconservative actors linked to governments, far-right parties, and secretly funded NGOs disseminating these narratives, mirroring Russian propaganda.

Disinformation Campaigns in the Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, the conservative group Alliance Pro Rodinu (AliPro) pushed disinformation before the October 2021 parliamentary elections. Statements like “Homosexuální manželství rozjede obchod s dětmi” (Homosexual marriage will start the trade-in children) were spread by AliPro’s chairperson, Jana Jochová. This narrative, falsely linking same-sex marriage to child trafficking, was believed by about 20 percent of Czechs.

Mobilization Against Same-Sex Marriage

Filip Milde, an activist from Jsme fér (We are Fair), confirmed that AliPro used disinformation to delay the legalization of same-sex marriage. In 2024, AliPro prepared campaigns to influence parliament members against legalizing same-sex partnerships. Despite their efforts, a recent vote for same-sex marriage legalization in February 2024 did not achieve a full majority in the Czech parliament.

Political Connections and Influence

AliPro’s influence extends into Czech politics, with its chairperson and vice-chairman holding positions within the ruling Občanská demokratická party (ODS) and the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs had cooperated with AliPro in 2022. Political communication expert Alex Alvarova noted the group’s potential influence on LGBTI policy decisions due to its government connections.

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Hungary’s Disinformation Tactics

In Hungary, the far-right coalition led by Viktor Orbán uses similar tactics. The Center for Fundamental Rights (CFFR) spreads anti-LGBTI disinformation, equating LGBT+ education with paedophilia. Recent advertisements linked LGBT+ individuals to paedophiles, influencing public sentiment. These narratives are heavily funded, with significant sums spent on disinformation campaigns.

Russian-Inspired Disinformation

False claims about same-sex marriage leading to child trafficking in the Czech Republic resembled earlier Russian disinformation campaigns. Similar narratives in Hungary falsely linked LGBT+ education to paedophilia. Remy Bonny, executive director of Forbidden Colours, noted that Hungary follows Russia’s disinformation playbook, framing LGBTI issues as threats to traditional values.

Connections to Russian Funding

Both AliPro and CFFR are part of the Alliance for the Common Good (ACG), a network of European conservative groups. This alliance has connections to Russian funding, with significant anti-gender funding traced back to Russian oligarchs. The ACG collaborates with US-based conservative organizations, furthering their anti-LGBTI agenda across Europe.

Secret Funding and Financial Influence

AliPro’s funding has surged, with donations tripling from 2019 to 2023. However, the sources of these donations remain undisclosed. In contrast, the CFFR in Hungary receives substantial funding from the government and other undisclosed sources. Taxpayer money also supports these groups, highlighting the financial backing behind their disinformation campaigns.

Continuing Investigation

The second part of this investigation will explore the collaboration of ultraconservative actors with the far-right and foreign influences in Poland and Slovakia. This investigation was supported by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) grant for the Disarming Disinformation 2024 program.

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