On Monday, Hungarian lawmakers strongly supported constitutional amendments for the country’s LGBTQ community and dual citizens. This move marks another effort by Prime Minister Viktor Orban to reinforce his version of "illiberal" democracy. Since returning to office in 2010, Orban has significantly curbed the rights of the LGBTQ community, along with limiting the freedom of the media, judiciary and academic institutions. In mid-March, he promised to carry out an "Easter cleanup" targeting his political opponents, whom he called "stink bugs."

The constitutional amendment, which asserts that people can only be classified as male or female, aligns with similar actions on gender taken by Hungary’s ally, U.S. President Donald Trump. The amendment also permits the "temporary" removal of citizenship from some dual or multiple nationals, potentially targeting Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros, who is often mentioned in populist conspiracy theories. Before the vote on the amendment, which passed in parliament with 140 votes in favour and 21 against, a small group of protesters briefly blocked an entrance to parliament before being removed by the police.

Opposition lawmaker Timea Szabo remarked, "When we chained ourselves up during the constitution's first overhaul in 2011, we never thought that 14 years later, we would have to do the same thing."

Liberal opposition politicians from the Momentum party held a banner in parliament that read, "You can ban us, but not the truth." At the same time, protesters outside the building shouted, "We will not allow ourselves to be transformed into Putin's Russia." In addition to a provision stating that people can only be male or female, another part of the constitution asserts that children's rights to "proper physical, mental and moral development take precedence over all other fundamental rights," excluding the right to life.

One key provision is viewed as a means to reinforce the legal basis for banning Pride marches. Another significant provision allows the government to temporarily revoke Hungarian citizenship from individuals with dual or multiple nationalities, even if they were born with those nationalities.

The ruling party claimed that the proposed measure targets "speculators" funding "bogus NGOs, bought politicians, and the so-called independent media" from foreign countries. A related bill, which will be voted on later, outlines that Hungarian citizenship could be revoked for up to 10 years, and those affected may be expelled from the country.

Under the proposal, nationals from other EU countries, along with citizens from a few other European nations, would be exempt from this action. Last week, over 30 prominent Hungarian legal experts criticised the move, calling it "an unprecedented construction in international law" that could violate binding human rights conventions.

Critics argue that the proposed legal changes would further undermine democratic freedoms in the Central European country, bringing the EU member state closer to the authoritarian rule seen under Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Szabolcs Pek, the chief analyst at the think tank Iranytu Intezet, briefed AFP that "you could consider this soft Putinism." "People are not falling out of the window, but the government is increasingly limiting the space for opposition politicians, journalists and civil society," he continued.

Politically, these actions are seen as an attempt to boost declining support for the ruling coalition, create divisions within the opposition based on ideology, and appeal to far-right voters ahead of next spring’s parliamentary elections. 

According to Pek, Orban's push for aggressive legislation is a strategy to regain control of the public narrative. "In this respect, he has been successful because public discourse is no longer about the failing public services or the weak economy," Pek said.

Since last year, Orban has faced a serious political challenge from Peter Magyar, a former insider who is now leading the opposition through his TISZA party. Recent polls show that TISZA is steadily cutting into Fidesz's long-standing dominance. Pek also pointed out that the ban on Pride events is a political trap for Magyar; if he supports LGBTQ rights, he risks losing conservative backers. However, if he stays silent, he could push liberal and left-leaning voters toward other opposition groups.