Hungary’s National Audit Office has issued a report on the risks of the country’s education system being “too feminine”, saying it could undermine boys’ development and cause demographic problems. .

The report was published last month but did not receive public attention until a newspaper article appeared on Thursday.

“The phenomenon called ‘pink education’ has many economic and social consequences,” said a report from a state agency seen as close to nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

As in many countries, Hungary’s teaching profession is dominated by women, who make up 82% of the country’s teachers.

If education favors female characteristics such as “emotional and social maturity” and “induces an overrepresentation of women in college,[gender]equality will be significantly undermined,” the report said. closing.

It warns that if boys who tend to be entrepreneurial and take risks are not allowed to grow up freely, they are at risk of “mental and behavioral problems.”

The report adds that boyish traits with creativity and innovation are “necessary for the optimal development of the economy.”

The audit firm said that “pink education” was a “demographic problem” because educated women were unable to find similarly educated spouses and “could lead to lower fertility rates.” ‘ can cause.

In response, Hungarian opposition lawmaker Endre Toth said on Facebook that talk of masculine and feminine qualities was “complete scientific absurdity”,.

“It’s time to take off the glasses from the last century,” he added.

Since returning to power in 2010, Orban has promoted a “conservative revolution”, promoted anti-immigration and denigrated immigrants. He also defended controversial laws banning LGBTQ content to minors.

In 2019, the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner noted “backtracking in women’s rights and gender equality in Hungary” after a visit.

Hungary, which recently elected its first female president, Katalin Novak, has only one female minister and ranks penultimate in the EU in terms of women’s representation in government.