Hungary’s Government Facing ‘Resistance Movement’
By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary
BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s government made clear Wednesday it won’t back down for a “resistance movement” announced at a rally attended by more than 20,000 people filling the square in front of Hungary’s Parliament in Budapest.
With national elections approaching next year and his party trailing in opinion polls, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is using increasingly authoritarian tactics to stay in power, his critics say.
On Tuesday, protesters rallied against his policies, including a draft law that would allow the government to blacklist critical media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The bill would enable the government to monitor, restrict, penalize, and potentially ban organizations it deems “a threat to Hungary’s national sovereignty,” especially those receiving funding from abroad.
The law’s passage, comparable to Russia’s “foreign agents” legislation, was recently delayed until Parliament’s autumn session amid mounting domestic and international pressure.
The latest controversy follows a move by Orbán’s Fidesz party to push through a law in March and a constitutional amendment the following month that effectively bans public LGBTQ+ events.
However, despite these measures, “It looks increasingly likely that most people are fed up with the actions of this regime and there appears to be a real chance that next year, after 16 years, the ruling Fidesz party won’t be the one to form the government,” said musician Dénes Sallai.
SEVERAL SPEAKERS
He was among several prominent speakers who addressed the crowd, which also expressed concern about reported massive corruption.
On Wednesday, leaked details emerged about Orbán’s move to purchase two luxury BMW cars worth over 1.2 million euros ($1.4 million) for his fleet of vehicles.
Family members and friends came already under EU and opposition scrutiny over controversial tenders that made some multi-millionaires and even billionaires in some cases.
Yet, the rightwing government made it a point Wednesday to warn of the dangers by those opposing its “pro-Christian”, “anti-migration” and “illiberal” policies.
It sent to the Worthy News Europe Bureau in Budapest an English translation of Orbán’s recent comments to a rally of the Patriots for Europe group he founded.
“We were ruled over by NGOs and media networks paid for from Brussels and Washington. They mocked the family, they mocked the nation, and they mocked Christianity,” Orbán said.
“And in the meantime, we were invaded by migrants paid for by [Hungarian-born U.S. billionaire George] Soros and Brussels. We rebelled. We organised the patriotic Right. We swept away the Left,” Orbán stressed.
NEW CONSTITUTION
“We created a new constitution: It says that sovereignty is inviolable. It says that Christian cultural identity must be protected by all state organs,” he added.
Orbán also noted that the constitution he helped formulate “says that a father shall be a man, and a mother shall be a woman. It says that the protection of children takes precedence over all other rights.”
He said his government promotes families and wants women to have more children through tax breaks, such as “lifelong no-income tax for working mothers.”
Then, “we built a fence, and we pushed the migrants out. Only those receiving permission may enter,” Orbán explained. He added that these policies prevented the antisemitism and riots seen in other European nations.
Orbán has accused the opposition of working with Ukraine and globalist groups to sow discord in society. However, the opposition has strongly denied those accusations and says Orbán tries to distract attention from its own bad policies, which include the failing healthcare situation and economic difficulties for millions.
“I think that the corruption in this country, as well as the inequality and the social situation we have, is not a good thing. We are still so far from Europe. I think we have to try to reach a change while we still can,” said protester Piroska Hajdú.
Orbán once asked about the corruption allegations, said he was not dealing with business, and asked reporters to move on to the next question.
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