Anti-government demonstration in Budapest. Orban's main rival is in the lead [ZDJĘCIA]

Ashley Davis14/12/2025

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Demonstrators marched behind a banner reading “Let's protect children!”, carrying plush toys and torches to symbolize solidarity with minor victims of violence. At the front of the procession was its organizer, the main political rival of Prime Minister Viktor Orban – the leader of TISZ, Peter Magyar.

What was the reason for the demonstration in Budapest?

Who is leading the protest?

What slogans did the march participants chant?

What decisions did the Hungarian government make before the elections?

– This is the tip of the iceberg. We are here to oppose violence against children, but also against Orban's corrupt and discredited government, Janos, a young march participant, told PAP. — We want early elections. We don't want the government to have time to continue handing out money in the hope that it will win, added Kira, a 25-year-old resident of Budapest.

Parliamentary elections in Hungary are scheduled for April next year. Most polls show the advantage of the opposition TISZA. The government has made a number of decisions in recent months to increase social benefits, including: entered his 14th retirement this week.

As part of the march passing through the center of the capital, slogans such as: “Orban, get out!” were displayed and chanted. or “Dirty Fidesz (ruling party – PAP)”. However, the organizers appealed to participants to refrain from such shouting and to take part in the march “with dignity and silence.”

The march ended in front of Alexander Palace – the residence of the Hungarian president – where Magyar addressed the crowd. — Children must not be harmed, neither now nor ever. We will deal with the monsters that harm you as quickly as possible, assured the TISHA leader. — The state has known for years what was happening in centers supporting minors, but it did not allow the victims to be protected, Magyar added.

Mascots were placed in front of the stage where he spoke, which will then be delivered to centers helping children. During the speech, children's drawings were displayed on a nearby wall and TISZA supporters could send them to the party's mobile application.

Child abuse scandal in a juvenile detention center

At the beginning of December, recordings were published showing employees – including the director – of one of Budapest's juvenile centers abusing its residents. The activist who disclosed the recordings stated that they had been in the authorities' possession for half a year, but they had done nothing about it. The former director of the same center was previously detained for, among others, allegations of human trafficking.

Public outrage was intensified by the fact that the country's authorities initially denied that minors were injured in the case. The director who beat the facility's charges resigned from his position after the recordings were revealed and was then arrested.

Prime Minister Orban, commenting on the case, condemned the abuses in an interview for the weekly Mandiner, calling them unacceptable and criminal.