Hungarian lawmakers on Monday overwhelmingly backed constitutional changes targeting the country's LGBTQ community and dual nationals, the latest step to strengthen longtime nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's self-styled "illiberal" brand of democracy.

Since his return to power in 2010, Hungary's leader has widely restricted the rights of the LGBTQ community, the media, courts and academia. In mid-March, he vowed to undertake an "Easter cleanup" against his domestic opponents he has called "stink bugs".

The constitutional amendment -- which proclaims that people can only be male or female -- echoes moves on gender by Orban's ally US President Donald Trump.

It also allows the "temporary" stripping of citizenship from some dual or multiple nationals, which could target Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros, a regular fixture of populist conspiracy theories.

Ahead of the vote on the amendment -- which passed parliament with 140 votes in favour to 21 against -- a few dozen protesters temporarily blocked an entrance to parliament before police hauled them off.

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