The head of the Hungarian National Museum is fired, the whole world is up in arms

László L. Simon was fired from the National Museum, and the news did not make headlines only in Hungary but also garnered international attention.

The far-right party Mi Hazánk has taken a stand to prevent individuals under the age of 18 from attending the 2023 World Press Photo exhibition at the National Museum, citing concerns related to the Child Protection Act.

The party has voiced objections, asserting that the exhibition “portrays violence against LGBTQ+ minorities as the most significant event of 2022″, displaying a series of images featuring men dressed in women’s clothes and high heels applying lipstick in a gay retirement home.

The Hungarian National Museum responded, stating that they are unable to comply with the Ministry of Culture and Innovation’s request due to legal constraints. László L. Simon, the head of the National Museum, ironically expressed gratitude to Dóra Dúró of the Mi Hazánk (Our Country) party for raising public interest in the exhibition.

On Monday afternoon, László L. Simon was dismissed from his position as the head of the National Museum. János Csák, in an address to parliament on Monday, cited Simon’s unsuitability for leading the museum.

A matter of global interest

L. Simon’s dismissal was widely covered in the international press, including the BBC, the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the London-based news agency Reuters. In the US, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, NBC and ABC also reported on the matter. German publications such as Spiegel, Zeit and Deutschlandfunk also featured the story, and it found coverage in Spain by El País, in Italy by Agenzia Nuova and in France by Le Figaro and Le Monde.

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