Hungary Vote Looms As Mass Anti-Orbán Rallies Shake Budapest (Worthy News In-Depth)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Sülysáp and Budapest, Hungary

SÜLYSÁP/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungarians prepared to vote Sunday in what could be the country’s most important election in a generation, potentially ending nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s tenure, after hundreds of thousands watched a marathon “regime change” concert in the heart of Budapest.

At least 200,000—and possibly as many as 300,000—mostly young people, many chanting anti-Orbán slogans, gathered to see some 50 outspoken anti-government artists and bands perform at Hősök tere (Heroes’ Square), in one of the largest shows of defiance since Orbán returned to power in 2010.

After standing for seven hours as artists urged them to vote and “change the system,” young attendees were seen climbing lampposts and, to loud cheers, tearing down posters of the man and system many have known for nearly their entire lives: Viktor Orbán and his right-wing Fidesz party.

It was not always that way. A Worthy News reporter recalled that at the same square where crowds rallied against him, a young liberal Orbán once demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops that had occupied Hungary for decades, turning the country into a Soviet satellite state.

In a daring speech on June 16, 1989, he spoke at the historic reburial of former Prime Minister Imre Nagy, executed after the crushed 1956 Revolution against Soviet domination. “If we do not lose sight of the ideals of 1956, we can choose a government that will immediately begin negotiations on the withdrawal of Soviet troops,” he said, his words reverberating across the square.

FROM REFORMER TO STRONGMAN

Less than a decade later, Orbán became Hungary’s youngest prime minister at age 35, promising a new direction and a break with the Communist past. In a lengthy interview with a Worthy News reporter at the time, he pledged to tackle lingering antisemitism in the country—long before becoming one of Israel’s closest European allies.

Though he lost power in 2002, Orbán returned in 2010, using a two-thirds parliamentary majority to rewrite the constitution, grounding it in conservative Christian values.

Yet his tenure has been overshadowed by corruption scandals and what critics describe as an increasingly authoritarian governing style, including expanded influence over the media, judiciary, and electoral system.

While admired by U.S. President Donald J. Trump for his tough anti-immigration stance and opposition to LGBTQ+ activism targeting minors, many young Hungarians increasingly view him as out of touch with reality.

Despite tax incentives aimed at encouraging large families, many young people remain reluctant to have children amid economic struggles and what they describe as deep-rooted corruption.

RISING CHALLENGES AND OPPOSITION MOMENTUM

Recent scandals, including leaked phone conversations suggesting contacts between the government and Moscow—and even Iran—have raised questions about whether Orbán has abandoned the principles he once championed.

However, the 62-year-old prime minister, a married father of five, dismissed his main rival Péter Magyar of the center-right Tisza Party, saying that while “a young man may want to be prime minister,” now “is not the time,” citing the war in neighboring Ukraine and broader geopolitical tensions.

Yet in Sülysáp, a town of about 8,000 people roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Budapest, around 1,500 residents appeared to disagree. They cheered as Magyar campaigned alongside his party’s local candidate ahead of the parliamentary vote.

Magyar, a former Fidesz insider who broke with the party after divorcing the then-justice minister, told residents that even the most vulnerable—including children—have suffered under corruption.

Recent leaked reports suggested widespread abuse of children in state institutions, allegedly kept secret despite the government’s pro-family stance.

ACCUSATIONS OF FOREIGN INFLUENCE

Magyar also alleged that Hungary’s foreign minister maintains a “hotline” with Russia’s top diplomat, sharing sensitive information and even representing Russian interests during meetings of the European Council. “That is truly unbelievable,” he said.

He added it was “equally astonishing” that Orbán—who in 1989 called for Soviet troop withdrawal—now appears to be welcoming Russian influence, including alleged activity by GRU military intelligence agents in Hungary.

“They are believed to have been tasked with influencing the elections and creating unrest,” Magyar said. “I urge everyone very strongly: do not fall for any kind of provocation.”

Orbán has strongly denied wrongdoing, instead accusing Magyar of being backed by Brussels and cooperating with Ukrainian intelligence services amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.

However, some voters remain unconvinced. “As a teacher, I feel that change is needed in Hungary’s education system,” said László Baranyi, who attended Magyar’s rally.

YOUTH VOICES AND GROWING DISSENT

“I have been involved in education and still am, and I am currently studying to upgrade my teacher training at Pázmány Péter Catholic University. We need a new system,” he added.

Baranyi said teachers face unbearable workloads and political pressure. “If you are not pro-Fidesz and the head of the institution finds out, it can cost you your job,” he said. “Education is in ruins. This is not good for teachers or students.”

Orbán has defended his policies, saying he aims to protect universities from what he calls a liberal “woke agenda.”

Those arguments did little to impress crowds at a separate rally later Friday in Budapest, where dozens of artists performed.

For hours, Hősök tere (Heroes’ Square) echoed with chants such as “Mocskos Fidesz!” (“Dirty Fidesz!”) and “Russians go home!”—a pointed reminder of Orbán’s shifting stance toward Moscow.

FINAL PUSH BEFORE THE VOTE

“Orbán out!” was among the main rallying cries from young Hungarians seeking to unseat the nationalist leader, who has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Citizens, they will never be able to scare us again—the Orbán regime is living its final hours,” said Róbert Puzsér, 51, who helped mobilize voters in a last-minute push.

Top performers, from pop star Azahriah to rapper Beton.Hofi, took the stage as crowds traveled from across Hungary by train, bus, and car to attend the free concert.

Heléna Sugár, 19, said the political message outweighed the music. “I listen to these performers every day, but now the most important thing is the political goal,” she said. “We want to show how many of us believe the system’s time is over.”

Orbán, meanwhile, urged voters to look beyond rising grocery prices, strained hospitals, inflation, and corruption allegations, warning that Hungary risks instability if the opposition wins.

ORBÁN WARNS OF INSTABILITY

In a campaign message, he said Hungarians are deciding “not just a government, but the fate of the homeland,” citing job creation, wage increases, and policies to shield families from rising energy costs.

He also highlighted his government’s hardline stance on migration and opposition to what he described as “war policies backed by Brussels,” presenting these as essential to national security.

Orbán accused his opponents of seeking power “at any cost,” alleging cooperation with foreign intelligence services and efforts to undermine the vote through fraud claims and planned protests.

“These are organized efforts to question the decision of the Hungarian people through chaos and pressure,” he said, vowing to protect families during what he described as a looming European crisis.

Yet opinion polls suggest many voters no longer see Fidesz as “the safe choice,” raising the prospect that Sunday’s vote could reshape Hungary’s relationship with the European Union and the United States for years to come.

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