Parlt adopts declaration rejecting Istanbul Convention

Hungary's parliament adopted a political declaration on Tuesday, sponsored by the Christian Democrats, on rejecting the Istanbul Convention. The co-ruling party said parliament should refuse to ratify the convention, citing definitions of gender it contains. The declaration was adopted with 115 votes in favour, 35 against and three abstentions. It calls on the government not to go any further in acceding to the convention and to lobby the European Union to do the same. The declaration said the Council of Europe document takes an unacceptable approach to defining gender, and parliament should not incorporate this approach into national law.