Society

Thousands Rally in Budapest Demanding Independent Media

The Hungarian state broadcaster MTVA was the focus of thousands of protesters this Saturday. They were there to voice their opposition to what they claim is the government's "propaganda machine."

The demonstration was organised by the opposition TISZA party, who are calling for an independent public service media. They claim that the state broadcaster exclusively promotes Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government and its narrative.

This is echoed by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan. She highlighted a "distorted media environment" in Hungary, where media pluralism and independence face significant threats. Both Hungarian and international observers have long warned that press freedom in the Central European country was under threat, and that Orbán’s party has used media buyouts by government-connected business tycoons to build a pro-government media empire.

Centre-right opposition

Leading the charge is TISZA’s charismatic newcomer, Peter Magyar. He has emerged as a formidable challenger to Orban's right-wing nationalist regime, which has held power since 2010. Protesters waved national flags and chanted slogans such as "We are not afraid" and "We've had enough," voicing their discontent with the current media landscape. "We have had enough of the malice, the lies, the propaganda; our patience has run out," Magyar proclaimed to the enthusiastic crowd. He denounced Hungary's public media as a "global scandal" and insisted that the protest should be broadcast in an "unedited" format. At the time of going to press, the demonstration was not mentioned on the MTVA website.

Recent polls indicate that TISZA now garners 39% support among voters, closely trailing Orban's Fidesz party at 43%. With elections slated for early 2026, Magyar aims to address growing public frustration exacerbated by economic challenges and inflation.

(ML. Source: Euractic. Photo: Image by marco bubbio from Pixabay)