Hungary's opposition rallies as Orban pledges crackdown on media, NGOs

Tens of thousands rallied in Budapest against Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday, waving the national flag as the leader of the surging opposition Tisza party pledged to make Hungary part of a strong Europe and end Orban's 15-year rule.

Peter Magyar, a former government insider, launched his movement a year ago, and his Tisza party - named after Hungary's second biggest river - leads Orban's Fidesz in most polls, a year before elections in 2026 and as the economy struggles.

Earlier on Saturday, Orban, who has repeatedly clashed with the EU over policies that critics say eroded democracy in Hungary, pledged to crack down on politicians and journalists who receive foreign funding and again ruled out EU membership for Ukraine, stepping up his campaign for the elections.

More than 50,000 of his opponents braved cold, drizzly weather to rally in Budapest, shouting "filthy Fidesz" and "the Tisza is flooding."

"Those who cheat on their own nation should end up in the dustbin of history," Magyar told the crowd. "Our time has come." He said Tisza would launch a popular survey on 12 key economic and political issues to hear the "voice of the nation".

Speaking at a rally on Hungary's national day, Orban said it was time to eliminate what he called a "shadow army" of NGOs, journalists, judges and politicians paid from the United States and Brussels, referring to his plans to crack down on NGOs and media who received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and billionaire George Soros.

"After today's celebrations, comes the big Easter cleaning up as the bugs have survived the winter," Orban said. "We will eliminate the whole shadow army."

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to dismantle USAID has emboldened his ally Orban.

Last month he said Hungary would draft legislation to protect national sovereignty and would uncover foreign funding to Hungarian media and what he called quasi-NGOs.

This week his Fidesz party submitted constitutional changes that would permit the expulsion of dual citizens deemed to pose a threat to Hungary's sovereignty.

© Thomson Reuters 2025.