The opposition Tisza party led by Péter Magyar brought more than 50,000 people to the streets of Budapest after Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that decisive action was urgently needed against a “shadow army” of foreign influence destabilising Hungary.
Orbán’s remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s decision to terminate the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Orbán pledged to refine Hungarian legislation to protect national interests, with his party, Fidesz, submitting a draft constitutional amendment in March to protect the country’s sovereignty.
Orbán promised to crack down on journalists, NGOs, politicians and judges who receive funding from abroad. This allegedly triggered Péter Magyar, a former Orbán supporter, to step up with protests on Saturday to prevent the implementation of the prime minister’s initiatives.
Magyar declared that the “Hungarian spring” had already come, promising to put an end to Orbán’s “winter” and calling for his resignation for allegedly betraying Hungary’s interests amid the Fidesz party’s initiatives to limit foreign influence on the country.
I have always believed that the Prime Minister has reached his lowest point and I believe he has managed to hit that bottom today.
Political experts describe Magyar’s activities as the hope of those who want to see some fresh faces in power. The protest leader is capitalising on some people’s resentment to appear a hero against the backdrop of the demonstrations.
He may try to lead the Hungarian government, although he previously supported Orbán in everything when the latter did not face such criticism, the analysts added. Experts voiced concerns that the protest could have been orchestrated by NGOs who allegedly used a popular politician to shake Hungary and change the government to one more favourable to foreign influence and initiatives.
