(Bloomberg) -- Thousands of Hungarians flooded the square in front of the parliament building in Budapest to protest a draft law aimed at punishing pedophilia that divides the opposition ahead of 2022 elections.

The cabinet proposes legislation that seeks to crack down on pedophilia but the bill includes a phrase that outlaws ads “promoting homosexuality,” resulting in a split in opposition parties, who are trying to join forces to confront Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s dominating Fidesz party in next year’s vote.

The bill includes an article that bars media from running advertisements “promoting homosexuality” to those 18 and under, which has pitted the right-leaning Jobbik party. Jobbik said it will approve the law, against other opposition groups that say it violates human rights.

Television channel RTL said on Facebook the bill “severely hurts freedom of speech as well as the European Union treaty on human rights and freedom” that would ban any act of discrimination. The bill excludes gender minorities from mass media, thus making the fight against negative stereotypes impossible, it said.

Fidesz enjoys a supermajority in parliament, allowing them to pass any legislation without opposition support. Orban has earlier effectively banned adoption for same-sex partners and enshrined in the constitution the idea that marriage is possible only between a man and a woman.

Hungary’s premier since 2010, Orban has sought to consolidate his hold over courts and civil society, and is embroiled in clashes with European Union leaders alarmed by his nationalist, authoritarian turn.

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