The streets of Hungary’s capital Budapest on Saturday flooded with thousands of LGBTQ supporters who took part in the Pride march. The parade represented a protest against a law that limits teaching about homosexuality and transgender issues in schools.

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Hungary’s right-wing government led by nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban had introduced the anti-LGBTQ policies, saying he aims to safeguard traditional Christian values from Western liberalism. 

Just as Budapest’s landscape was painted in rainbow colours, CNN reported that the Orban government is planning a referendum on the law. The Prime Minister has outlined a five-question vote that will ask the citizens if they support the “promotion” of content related to sexual orientation to children, CNN reported. Prime Minister’s own stance on the vote is a “no.”

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“The law is an outrage. We live in the 21st century when things like that should not be happening. We are no longer in communist times, this is the EU and everyone should be able to live freely,” Istvan, 27, told Reuters. He was marching with his boyfriend.

“This year is much more significant because now there are real stakes. Our situation is pretty bad … My plan is that if things get even worse, I will leave Hungary,” Mira Nagy, a 16-year-old told Associated Press.

The European Union had launched legal action against the nationalist Hungarian government. It described the new law as discriminatory and said it contravenes European values of tolerance and individual freedom.

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The law restricts minors from being exposed to media content and literature that discusses sexual orientation. An Anasztazia Orosz, as per Associated Press reports, said,” “It was really difficult for me to come out, and the only thing that made it easier was that I found a book of stories on LGBT topics. That’s how I learned that what I’m feeling is something real, that I’m not different.”

Yet Majercsik, the Pride spokesperson, said the questions are “openly transphobic and homophobic,” and part of a “propaganda campaign” by the government to incite resentment against the LGBT community.

“I’ve heard from a lot of LGBT people that are planning to leave the country, and won’t even wait for next year’s elections,” Majercsik said. “There will be many others for whom the results of the elections will determine whether they stay or leave.”

The march was also attended by leaders from the opposition parties including liberal Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony.