An amendment to Hungary’s constitution has declared that “the mother is a woman, the father is a man”, thus effectively banning gay couples from adopting children.

The legislation was put forward by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s right-wing government. It says only married couples can adopt, with some exceptions for single relatives of the child.

Although same-sex marriage is illegal in Hungary, adoption has been possible if one partner applies on their own. Now, single people will require special approval from the government to adopt.

“The main rule is that only married couples can adopt a child, that is, a man and a woman who are married,” Justice Minister Judit Varga said.

The government explained the change by saying “new ideological processes in the West” made it necessary to “protect children against possible ideological or biological interference”.

“Hungary defends the right of children to identify with their birth gender and ensures their upbringing based on our nation’s constitutional identity and values based on our Christian culture,” it says.