This is an extended update of my diary from last week on the current political situation in Hungary heading into the June 9 elections for the European Parliament. Fidesz defector and former government insider Peter Magyar, who still describes himself as a “moderate conservative” along with his new Tisza (Respect and Freedom) party, is clearly posing the greatest threat in many years to Orban’s continuing dominance over Hungary — so government flacks are now trying to characterize them both as “leftists” out of touch with traditional Hungarian family values (e.g. pedophilia coverups?!).
Judging by the size of the crowds Magyar is turning out in the rural heartland of Fidesz, that may no longer be a winning strategy, and Democrats here in the US should probably be taking notes. From Reuters today:
Thousands protest against Hungary's Orban in ruling party stronghold
DEBRECEN, Hungary (Reuters) - Thousands of Hungarians protested against nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban at a rally on Sunday weeks ahead of European Parliament and local elections due in early June.
Peter Magyar, a former government insider seen by some observers as the first serious threat in years to Orban, staged the rally attended by around 10,000 people in the eastern town of Debrecen, a stronghold of the ruling Fidesz party.
...
Addressing flag-waving supporters, Magyar took aim at one of Orban's core policies, criticising what he called the extremely low level of child support allowances in Hungary.
"If you tell this story anywhere in Europe, no one is going to believe you," Magyar said.
Orban says that among EU countries Hungary is spending the largest share of its economy on supporting families.
"We need an entirely new system where social support is indeed targeted based on social needs," Magyar said.
He said Hungary was ruled by what he called a well-connected elite, which he would seek to end if elected.
Amplifying that message with analysis from the Guardian:
“Today, the vast majority of the Hungarian people are tired of the ruling elite, of the hatred, apathy, propaganda and artificial divides,” Magyar told the crowd. “Hungarians today want cooperation, love, unity and peace.”
Magyar, a former insider in Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, has since February denounced the nationalist Orbán since February as running an entrenched “mafia state” and declared war on what he calls the government’s propaganda machine.
...
His appearance on Sunday in Debrecen, a stronghold of the Fidesz party, reflected the focus his fledgling campaign has placed on the Hungarian countryside, where Orbán is popular.
Sunday’s event – held on Mother’s Day in Hungary – was the latest stop on a tour of the country where Magyar has appeared in dozens of cities, towns and villages, often drawing thousands of supporters – numbers that few Orbán opponents have ever been able to mobilise in rural areas.
Addressing the crowd, he said “government propaganda” had tried to discredit his movement as “just a downtown Budapest media hack”, and criticised the country’s traditional opposition parties as having abandoned rural Hungarians.
“We’ve heard for 14 years from the opposition that it’s impossible in these circumstances to defeat Orbán, that it’s not worth travelling to the countryside, that young people aren’t interested in politics, that you can’t break down the walls of propaganda,” he said. “But look around, what’s the truth?”
Katalin Nagy, who travelled several hours to the rally, said she found Magyar credible “because he comes from the inside”.
“He’s aware of the things that are really causing problems in this country, and I think he can provide solutions to problems so that we can come out of the hole that this country is currently in,” she said.
Meanwhile from Daily News Hungary:
After marking Mothers’ Day, Magyar pledged that the party would double the family allowance if it received the mandate to govern. Magyar, who also serves as deputy leader of the Tisza (Tisztelet és Szabadság, Respect and Freedom) party, said Hungary had received 40 thousand billion forints in European Union funding so far, and insisted that a significant portion of that money was in “private equity, yachts, castles, hotels, Bordeaux vineyards and offshore accounts.” He said Hungary was being operated as a “family company” which his party would dismantle if they came to power.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Magyar said the party was pro-peace and stood for peace talks as soon as possible. The European parliamentary and local elections in June would be “a watershed moment”, and would be decided between the ruling Fidesz party and Tisza, Magyar said. “Those voting for Fidesz in 2024 would vote for the threat of war and war agitation, and those voting for Tisza will vote for peace, the future, and the safety and happinness of our children and grandchildren,” he said.
Not quite sure what Magyar’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war actually is, but it’s interesting he is trying to turn the tables on Orban by characterizing Fidesz as the actual pro-war party. While the latest polling seemed to indicate Fidesz still held a 45% to 25% lead over Tisza, momentum is clearly on the side of Tisza with 5 weeks still to go before the election. The real question though is that even if Magyar and Tisza eventually succeed in defeating Orban and his Fidesz apparatchiks, will they really dismantle the authoritarian structures long in place, or simply co-opt them to become a new ruling elite? Let’s hope Magyar actually turns out to be the real deal — a truly born-again democrat.