On the morning of October 23, 2025, Budapest's broad boulevards became a stage for a political spectacle unlike any Hungary has seen in years. The city pulsed with anticipation as Hungary’s two main political parties—Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s long-dominant Fidesz and the insurgent movement led by Péter Magyar—mounted rival demonstrations that drew hundreds of thousands of supporters. The day marked not only a national holiday but also the unofficial launch of the campaign for the April 2026 elections, setting the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested race.
The significance of the date was not lost on anyone. October 23 is the anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising—an event that has long loomed large in the nation’s collective memory. Traditionally, it’s a day for solemn reflection on Hungary’s struggle for freedom from Moscow’s grip. But as Associated Press reported, this year’s commemorations were charged with new political meaning, as Orbán’s increasingly warm ties with the Kremlin and his combative stance toward Ukraine have shifted the country’s posture toward its former occupier.
Prime Minister Orbán, who has led Hungary for over a decade, finds himself in an unfamiliar position: trailing in most polls to Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider whose dramatic break with the government last year has galvanized a growing base of dissatisfied voters. Orbán hoped Thursday’s demonstration would reinvigorate his political base, which has been rattled by a series of political scandals, persistent inflation, and years of economic stagnation. As AP noted, Orbán’s supporters organized what they billed as a “peace march,” with the Prime Minister expected to focus his speech on what he describes as the dangers posed by Ukraine and the necessity of negotiating with Moscow.
Yet even as Orbán sought to rally his followers, the political winds seemed to shift. Just days before the demonstrations, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest for talks on ending the war in Ukraine—a move Orbán celebrated as a personal and political triumph, boasting that Hungary was “the only place in Europe” where such discussions could take place. However, the White House abruptly announced on October 21 that the meeting would not go forward, at least for now, leaving Orbán’s camp with a sense of deflation. The timing was awkward, to say the least, especially given the anniversary’s potent symbolism. For many Hungarians, the idea of hosting Putin near the date when Soviet tanks crushed the 1956 revolution was more than a little unsettling. As one protest group put it, the prospect was “not diplomacy, not neutrality, but a national disgrace.”
Meanwhile, Péter Magyar’s movement is riding a wave of momentum. Once a Fidesz party insider, Magyar burst onto the national scene last year, channeling widespread frustration with the government into what has become both a political rally and an anti-government protest. His campaign has zeroed in on the bread-and-butter issues affecting everyday Hungarians: stubbornly high inflation, ailing healthcare and transportation systems, and a stagnant economy. As Editorji highlighted, Magyar recently wrapped up an 80-day tour of rural Hungary—a region that has long been a Fidesz stronghold—holding town hall-style forums and engaging directly with voters.
Observers watched Thursday’s events closely, reading the size and enthusiasm of the crowds as a barometer of Hungary’s polarized political climate. The stakes are high: Orbán’s popularity has been battered not just by economic woes, but by mounting accusations of corruption and the increasingly ostentatious lifestyles of government-connected figures. Magyar has not been shy about leveling these charges, regularly accusing Orbán and his allies of misusing public funds for personal enrichment—allegations the Prime Minister flatly denies.
The battle for public opinion has been fierce, and sometimes ugly. Orbán’s government has wielded its vast media machine to try to discredit Magyar, portraying him as a pawn of Brussels bureaucrats. According to AP, Fidesz officials have circulated dozens of AI-generated videos depicting Magyar in fabricated scenarios, while a taxpayer-funded “national consultation” questionnaire mailed to every Hungarian adult insinuated that Magyar’s Tisza party would impose disastrous tax hikes. Orbán has even accused his rival—without providing evidence—of working with Ukrainian secret services to topple his government. Magyar has dismissed these claims, keeping his message focused on the issues that matter most to voters.
Behind the domestic drama, Hungary’s standing in Europe has become increasingly fraught. The European Union has frozen billions in development funds to Hungary over concerns about rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, and judicial independence. Several EU lawmakers have gone so far as to propose stripping Hungary of its voting rights within the bloc, and in 2022, the European Parliament declared that Hungary could no longer be considered a democracy. Magyar has seized on these developments, promising to unfreeze EU money and use it to improve living standards, which he argues have suffered under Orbán’s rule. In Magyar’s words, Hungary has become the EU’s “poorest and most corrupt” country.
For Orbán, the challenge is daunting. Once the undisputed master of Hungary’s political landscape, he now faces an energized opposition and a skeptical electorate. Yet he remains a formidable campaigner, and his message—centered on national sovereignty, skepticism toward the EU, and a tough line on Ukraine—still resonates with many. His critics, however, see his embrace of Moscow and attacks on Brussels as evidence of a dangerous drift away from democratic norms and European values.
Magyar’s rise has upended the old political order, offering a potential alternative for voters weary of Fidesz’s dominance. His campaign’s focus on rural Hungary is a strategic bet that the very regions that once delivered Orbán his electoral victories may now be ready for change. Whether that bet pays off will depend on whether Magyar can translate popular discontent into votes—no small feat in a political environment where media and state resources are heavily tilted in the incumbent’s favor.
As the dust settles from Thursday’s dueling demonstrations, one thing is clear: Hungary stands at a crossroads. The months ahead will test not only the strength of its political parties, but the resilience of its democratic institutions. For many Hungarians, the echoes of 1956 are as relevant as ever—a reminder that the struggle for freedom and self-determination is never truly finished.