Conchita Wurst, winner of the 2014 edition of Eurovision (Photo: Yulia Reznikov / Shutterstock.com)

While no official reason has been given for the withdrawal, the move comes amid an increase in homophobic rhetoric in Hungary, where the anti-migration prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has launched a “family first” policy aimed at helping traditional families and boosting birth rates.

Earlier this year, the speaker of the Hungarian parliament compared same-sex adoption to pedophilia, while a pro-government television commentator referred to Eurovision as “a homosexual flotilla” and said not participating would benefit the nation’s mental health, theguardian.com reports.

According to a report by local news site 24.hu, state-owned national public-service broadcasting organization MTVA (Media Services and Support Trust Fund) denied accusations. 

“We made the decision to support talents of Hungarian popular music and their value-creating productions directly, instead of taking part in Eurovision,” the organization said, adding that they do not take account of artistsʼ sexual preferences.