Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar called for a change of government in a speech on 23 October marking the 68th anniversary of the 1956 uprising, according to bne IntelliNews.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, addressing several thousand supporters, accused the EU of seeking to install a proxy government in Hungary. The two leaders’ speeches will set the tone for what promises to be one of the most heated electoral contests in Hungary’s history.
On Wednesday, Peter Magyar emerged victorious, drawing significantly more supporters than Hungary’s veteran leader. He wrote on Facebook referring to a poll by independent pollster 21st Century Institute:
For the first time in 18 years, Fidesz is not the most popular party in Hungary.
In a defiant speech, the 43-year-old political newcomer lashed out at the government, accusing it of creating an economic and moral crisis that allegedly made Hungary the poorest and most corrupt country in the EU. Magyar also outlined his party’s goals for the 2026 elections, including raising family allowances, supporting the elderly, using EU funds for economic development and reforming key areas.
He announced the launch of the Tisza National Consultation, which will begin on 5 November. The Tisza Party made history by launching an open process to select candidates for the European Parliament and the Budapest Assembly before the elections in June.
Orbán gave a speech under the banner of “Honour to the Heroes” to commemorate the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. However, the speech then focused on comparing the EU to the post-war Soviet Union.
We shall not allow Hungary to be turned into a vassal of Brussels. We shall not allow Hungary to be turned into a puppet state, a vassal of Brussels.
