Hungary’s largest opposition party leader, Péter Magyar, addressed thousands of supporters on Sunday, promising to guide Hungary out of international isolation if he wins next year’s elections against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Magyar, leader of the Respect and Freedom (Tisza) party, has emerged as Orbán’s most serious challenger since he took power in 2010. Recent polling indicates that Tisza has surpassed Orbán’s Fidesz party, as Hungary faces a stagnating economy and growing political detachment from the European Union due to Orbán’s policies.
At a rally in Budapest, Magyar assured his supporters that if elected, he would repair Hungary’s relationships and restore its reputation with international allies, which have suffered under Orbán’s leadership. Orbán’s strained ties with the European Union, alongside his closer alliances with authoritarian regimes like Russia and China, have isolated Hungary on the global stage. Magyar vowed that under his leadership, Hungary would once again be a proud and dependable NATO ally and a full member of the European Union.
Critics have accused Orbán, who identifies as an “illiberal” leader, of steering Hungary away from European democratic values by undermining democratic institutions, curbing judicial independence, and consolidating control over the media. Since assuming office in 2010, Orbán’s Fidesz party has maintained a two-thirds majority in parliament, making it easy for him to suppress opposition. However, recent polls indicate that Tisza is now more popular than Fidesz, with Magyar’s campaign focusing on key issues like inflation, a struggling healthcare system, and accusations of government corruption.
Magyar condemned Orbán’s system, stating it “cannot be reformed, cannot be fixed, cannot be improved.” He insisted that the only solution is to replace the current regime, a process he promised would be lawful, democratic, and resolute.
Nóra Farkas, a rally attendee and supporter of Magyar, expressed her increased confidence in the possibility of change, noting that although she had hoped for Orbán’s defeat in the 2022 elections, she now feels that a shift is more achievable with the next election just a year away. Farkas criticized Orbán and his circle, blaming them for Hungary’s ongoing problems, and emphasizing that those who believe the country is doing well are out of touch.
