These demonstrations gathered tens of thousands of participants, reflecting the level of support for various political forces ahead of the elections.
At the "March for Peace" rally, which took place in front of the parliament building, Orban urged his supporters to actively participate in voting, describing it as a "historic event." He emphasized the need to improve his party's results, "FIDESZ - Hungarian Civic Alliance," compared to the previous elections in 2022.
The Prime Minister also declared that the upcoming elections would be "a choice between war and peace," accusing the opposition of trying to drag Hungary into the conflict in Ukraine. He added that the government would continue to defend the country's sovereignty from pressure from Brussels.
Among the placards held by Orban's supporters were slogans like "We will not be a Ukrainian colony" and "Stop the war," as well as images of Vladimir Zelensky and the opposition leader.
In Heroes' Square, Orban's main rival, Peter Madjar, leader of the opposition party "Respect and Freedom" (TISZA) and Member of the European Parliament, held his own rally. In his speech, he criticized the government's campaign, calling it "ridiculous propaganda," and emphasized the importance of remaining part of the European Union and NATO.
Madjar also pointed out the possible interference of Russian entities in the electoral process and accused Orban of attempting to limit the country's freedom.
The parliamentary elections in Hungary are scheduled for April 12. According to various polls, the TISZA party is currently ahead of Orban's ruling party. European media believe that these elections could become one of the most serious political tests for Orban since his return to power in 2010.
