[ad_1]
Thousands of people rallied in Budapest on Saturday as the political newcomer led a push to mobilize voters against Hungary’s populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of Sunday’s European elections.
“We have defeated apathy,” said Peter Madjar, a former government insider who switched sides and launched an opposition movement, as he stood before a huge crowd that filled the capital’s Heroes’ Square.
“We give each other hope,” he said, stressing that “we are building a country where there is no right, no left – only Hungarian.”
Since returning to power 14 years ago, Orbán has consolidated power at home. He has cultivated relations with Russia and China, as well as far-right parties around the world. And he described Brussels and Washington as his adversaries, despite Hungary’s continued membership in both the EU and NATO.
At the same time, some of the prime minister’s closest friends and family members are now among the richest people in the country, amid allegations of widespread nepotism.
Magyar, who was married to Orbán’s former justice minister, became a sensation in Hungary earlier this year when she broke ranks and began criticizing the government, highlighting her concerns about alleged corruption.
The Hungarian government has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption.
But gathered on a hot afternoon, many in the crowd expressed admiration for both Madjar’s message and his personal journey.
“He took responsibility for his sins and stood up,” said Zoltan, an activist supporting Magyar’s Tisza party.
Lena, a 17-year-old Hungarian who lives in Austria but wants to move back home, said she will vote Magyar when she is old enough. “I believe we should take our homeland back,” she said.
While Hungarians will vote in local elections and on who to send to represent them in the European Parliament, many see the election as a de facto referendum on both Orbán and the opposition parties that have struggled to challenge his position in recent years.
Orban, who is the EU’s most Kremlin-friendly leader, focused his election campaign on what he described as a platform of “peace”.
Before the election, the ruling Fidesz party ran an intense disinformation campaign, claiming – without providing evidence – that there was a global conspiracy to force Hungary into direct war with Russia and that Hungary’s opposition was being directed by the West to undermine the national interest.
“Now we are again getting requests to participate in a new war,” Orbán said supporters at a recent rally.
Addressing the crowd, Magyar countered that narrative and accused the government of deliberately dividing Hungarian society.
“The party of Tisza is the party of peace – the real party of peace,” he said.
after the promotion of the newsletter
Magyar is an unusual figure on the Hungarian political scene. His language sometimes echoes conservative and nationalist rhetoric, but he also criticizes Orbán’s government in a way that appeals to liberal voters.
In an an interview with guard earlier in the campaign, Madjar said his goal was to be in the center. “I have a vision for Hungary,” he said.
The political newcomer’s casual style, social media savvy and willingness to criticize both right-wing and left-wing politicians have resonated with many voters.
However, critics have expressed concern that he has weakened other opposition forces and questioned how different some of his policies would be from the current ruling party.
“What is completely new is that he can speak essentially to the entire left-liberal side and also to a significant segment of Fidesz voters,” said Róbert László, an election expert at the Budapest-based Political Capital Institute .
Madjar “comes from within, he speaks in a way that appeals to everyone, he has a work ethic. And the fourth factor is that he is not open to compromise,” he added.
But he stressed that despite the initial decline, Fidesz has performed strongly in opinion polls in recent weeks.
The ruling party enjoys the support of 50% of definite voters, according to a survey published last week by polling company Medián. Meanwhile, Magyar’s Tisza party stands at 27%.
“Majar’s emergence means a serious threat to everyone: obviously now much more to the opposition parties than to Fidesz,” Laszlo said, adding: “We don’t expect Orbán to pack his bags on June 10.”
[ad_2]
