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Rising star in Hungary's opposition Tens of thousands of his supporters gathered on Saturday, pledging to move towards reform European current If he succeeds in a far-reaching attempt to challenge the Prime Minister Viktor Orbána base.
Peter Magyar She came to prominence after two of Orban's main allies, including Magyar's ex-wife, former Justice Minister Judit Varga, resigned in February.
Magyar, a 43-year-old lawyer and former diplomat turned whistleblower, said he would continue trying to rally support in the run-up to the election. European Parliament elections in June.
“I did not intend to defeat the entire ruling elite alone,” Magyar told the crowd outside the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest. “I'm just the spark that can start this engine.”
Magyar said he would soon announce the political party under his aegis that could challenge Orbán's party in the EU elections, which coincide with local municipal elections in Hungary. Currently, he is recruiting followers into a civilian group.
An opinion poll conducted by Republikon and published by the Telex news website on Friday showed that Magyar's party would immediately be among the strongest opposition forces, although it remains far behind Orbán's Fidesz party.
Corruption issue
Orban has dominated Hungary since his return to power in 2010, and previous neophytes have quickly succeeded in weakening or dismantling support from established opposition groups.
Magyar has managed to attract public attention in the Eastern European country, where domestic disputes with his ex-wife have been repeated daily on social media, highlighting wider corruption allegations.
Under Orbán, Hungary has fallen to last place among EU member states in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. The European Union continues to withhold two-thirds of the 30 billion euros ($32.5 billion) in funding for Hungary that it suspended in 2022 over corruption and rule of law concerns.
Orban is the Kremlin's closest ally in the European Union. He withheld EU aid to defend Ukraine for several months before backing down, and maintains friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Magyar said he would make resolving disputes with the EU a priority, and would release Hungary's remaining funds.
Many protesters acknowledged that Magyar has not yet established himself as a leader, but his sudden rise to prominence represents an opportunity to build a critical mass against Orbán's regime.
Leaky tape
“There are a lot of people who have grievances that have been suppressed for a long time,” said Andrea Varga, 52, who traveled to the demonstration from the western Hungarian town of Agca. “A lot of things have happened so quickly in the space of a month, anything can happen.”
Magyar's release of a tape related to a high-profile corruption case has temporarily put Orbán's government on the defensive. In response, the massive information machine controlled by the Prime Minister unleashed a barrage of attacks against the Hungarians.
Orbán officials said Magyar, as a former executive director of a state company, was a beneficiary of the system. He also held seats on the boards of several other state-owned companies until his resignation to begin his political career.
Another protester, Krzysztof Szakmary, said: “The fact that he was able to leave all that behind gives him tremendous strength.” “Look around,” said Szakmari, 22, an economics student, gesturing to the crowd gathered behind him. “When did we last see things like this in the last few years?”
Peter Magyar She came to prominence after two of Orban's main allies, including Magyar's ex-wife, former Justice Minister Judit Varga, resigned in February.
Magyar, a 43-year-old lawyer and former diplomat turned whistleblower, said he would continue trying to rally support in the run-up to the election. European Parliament elections in June.
“I did not intend to defeat the entire ruling elite alone,” Magyar told the crowd outside the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest. “I'm just the spark that can start this engine.”
Magyar said he would soon announce the political party under his aegis that could challenge Orbán's party in the EU elections, which coincide with local municipal elections in Hungary. Currently, he is recruiting followers into a civilian group.
An opinion poll conducted by Republikon and published by the Telex news website on Friday showed that Magyar's party would immediately be among the strongest opposition forces, although it remains far behind Orbán's Fidesz party.
Corruption issue
Orban has dominated Hungary since his return to power in 2010, and previous neophytes have quickly succeeded in weakening or dismantling support from established opposition groups.
Magyar has managed to attract public attention in the Eastern European country, where domestic disputes with his ex-wife have been repeated daily on social media, highlighting wider corruption allegations.
Under Orbán, Hungary has fallen to last place among EU member states in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. The European Union continues to withhold two-thirds of the 30 billion euros ($32.5 billion) in funding for Hungary that it suspended in 2022 over corruption and rule of law concerns.
Orban is the Kremlin's closest ally in the European Union. He withheld EU aid to defend Ukraine for several months before backing down, and maintains friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Magyar said he would make resolving disputes with the EU a priority, and would release Hungary's remaining funds.
Many protesters acknowledged that Magyar has not yet established himself as a leader, but his sudden rise to prominence represents an opportunity to build a critical mass against Orbán's regime.
Leaky tape
“There are a lot of people who have grievances that have been suppressed for a long time,” said Andrea Varga, 52, who traveled to the demonstration from the western Hungarian town of Agca. “A lot of things have happened so quickly in the space of a month, anything can happen.”
Magyar's release of a tape related to a high-profile corruption case has temporarily put Orbán's government on the defensive. In response, the massive information machine controlled by the Prime Minister unleashed a barrage of attacks against the Hungarians.
Orbán officials said Magyar, as a former executive director of a state company, was a beneficiary of the system. He also held seats on the boards of several other state-owned companies until his resignation to begin his political career.
Another protester, Krzysztof Szakmary, said: “The fact that he was able to leave all that behind gives him tremendous strength.” “Look around,” said Szakmari, 22, an economics student, gesturing to the crowd gathered behind him. “When did we last see things like this in the last few years?”
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