“Enough of this corrupt power”: massive protest in Budapest against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

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Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Budapest this Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whom they accuse of corruption. The call, baptized “National March”, was led by Péter Magyar, a lawyer until recently close to the Executive who, however, has now become one of the main opponents of the ultranationalist.

“Today the Hungarian nation sent a message to power saying enough of this corrupt power. “Let them return power to the people,” he told the crowd in the central Kossuth Square, in front of Parliament, and noted that the Government “is afraid” to see the unity of Hungarians.

He then called on the people to continue raising their voices, in the hope of reconquering the country step by step and building it into a modern, free and democratic state.

Images spread on social networks show people chanting slogans in the streets and holding flags, all in a peaceful setting.

The figure of Magyar as Orbán’s main dissident emerged two months ago and he already promises to participate in the European elections although with an organization that has not yet been informed. Until then, he served on the boards of directors of several state-owned companies and worked as the nation’s lawyer before the European Union.

His first interview focused on the country’s politics was a few weeks ago, when his ex-wife, the then Minister of Justice Judit Varga, was involved in a scandal over a pardon.

According to the press, the country’s president, Katalin Novak, granted a pardon to the director of a children’s home who had tried to hide cases of pedophilia in April 2023, during Pope Francis’ visit to Budapest. The order was signed by Varga, so both government officials announced her resignation.

Before confirming her resignation, the Head of State asked “forgiveness to those whom I have hurt” and acknowledged having “made a mistake,” while her colleague assumed “political responsibility for having signed the pardon” and withdrew “from public life”.

Magyar, however, considered that the final responsibility went back to Orban and, therefore, distanced himself from this system in which “the real perpetrators hide behind women’s skirts.”

“They sacrifice without a second thought those who, unlike them, have never worked for their own material interests but for the good of their country and their compatriots,” he continued.

In fact, just days ago he released a recording in Varga saying that the Prime Minister’s entourage pressured the Prosecutor’s Office to hide evidence of corruption cases that affect the Executive.

“All these episodes have broken trust in the Government and its credibility, even among Fidesz voters,” said the Political Capital Institute analyst, Róbert László, adding that, now, the people are aware that “if Orbán, to remain far from the scandal, he has to sacrifice another person, he will do it” in order to continue in the country.

(With information from EFE)