Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central Budapest on Friday to protest against Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, accusing him of compromising the country’s position on migration in exchange for the release of frozen European Union funding.
Protesters marched through the city chanting “traitor” before gathering outside the headquarters of Magyar’s Tisza party, where they jeered and called for his resignation as he appeared on a balcony holding a Hungarian flag. Magyar later estimated the turnout at around 1,000 people.
The protest follows speculation surrounding a political agreement announced on May 29 between Magyar and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that unlocked €16.4 billion in EU funds previously withheld from Hungary.
Critics allege the arrangement includes Hungary’s acceptance of the EU Migration Pact and the construction of a migrant transit facility capable of housing between 8,000 and 10,000 people near the country’s southern border. While Magyar has previously insisted Hungary “will not accept any pact or allocation mechanism” related to asylum and migration, opponents argue he has offered little recent clarification on the issue.
The EU funds had been frozen since 2022 amid concerns raised by Brussels over corruption and rule-of-law issues during the administration of former prime minister Viktor Orbán. Orbán, who frequently clashed with EU institutions over migration and support for Ukraine, accused the bloc of using the funding as political leverage.
Following the demonstration, Magyar dismissed participants in a Facebook post, describing them as “frenzied, inarticulate, shouting fellow citizens” and suggesting they were effectively protesting against money being allocated to Hungary by the EU.
The EU Migration Pact establishes common asylum and migration rules across member states. Under its “mandatory solidarity” framework, countries must either accept a quota of migrants, provide operational assistance, or pay €20,000 for each migrant they decline to take. The policy has faced opposition from several member states, including Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which have rejected the solidarity mechanism.
Oh well, you had a good man at the helm, who genuinely cared and you voted him out. You get what you vote for…….
Thej forged the election.
There are extensive allegations of systematic fraud, including vote-buying, voter intimidation, and disinformation campaigns, resultng in the defeat of long-time Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz party) by Peter Magyar’s Tisza party. Investigations and documentaries revealed a sophisticated network in rural areas where Tisza officials exchanged food, money, and public works/jobs for votes while threatening dissenters with the loss of essential services or child custody.
Yep, as simple but multilayerd at the same time.
Domestic disinformation dominated the campaign, with progovernment actors fabricating news stories, fake party platforms, and using AI-generated videos to spread fear about the opposition.
This disinformation fraud originated domestically via Fidesz-linked media and proxy organizations.
Media using AI needs to have a warning about Ai content, and ought to be outlawed during elections.