A large-scale rally under the slogan “Stop the Tyranny“ was held in the Hungarian capital Budapest, organized in support of current President Tamas Sujok.
The demonstration in front of the presidential residence “Sándor“ was called by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban's “Fidesz“ party and its coalition partners. This is the first major protest against the rule of new Prime Minister Peter Magyar, whose “Tisa“ party won the elections earlier this year.
The political tension was sparked by the Hungarian government's constitutional amendment aimed at prematurely terminating Sujok's term. The new prime minister accuses the president of being a "puppet" of the old regime and of failing to protect democratic institutions during Orban's 16-year rule. For its part, the opposition, represented by "Fidesz", defines the government's actions as a "constitutional coup" and a direct attempt to establish a dictatorship.
The participants in the rally chanted slogans for preserving the rule of law and the independence of institutions. The organizers emphasized that the event was not intended simply to protect Sujok's personality, but to defend the presidential institution itself from political arbitrariness. Viktor Orban himself actively supported the protest on social networks, but was not present in person at the square. The controversial constitutional changes are expected to be put to a vote in the Hungarian parliament next week.