Tens of Thousands Rally in Budapest for and Against Government Ahead of Hungary's 2026 Elections

Hungary's political landscape is heating up ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections, marked by large-scale rallies organized by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party and opposition leader Péter Magyar's Tisza party. On October 23, a significant national holiday commemorating the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising, both parties staged mass demonstrations in Budapest, drawing tens of thousands of participants. Orbán positioned the election as a choice between peace and war, criticizing the EU's support for Ukraine and accusing Magyar of supporting Brussels' policy, while Magyar condemned Orbán's close ties with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and accused him of being the Kremlin's most loyal ally. The political tension was further underscored by the cancellation of a planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest, which was seen as a setback for Orbán. Orbán's rallies emphasized peace and opposition to EU military policies, with slogans like "We do not want to die for Ukraine," reflecting his stance against sending Hungarian troops to the conflict. This electoral contest highlights a stark divide in Hungary's approach to the Ukraine war, EU relations, and national sovereignty.