Protests over children in Hungary: Orbán sparks rallies four months before elections

Demonstrators marched from central Pest across the Danube to Buda Castle, where the offices of Orbán and his ally, President Tamas Sulyok, are located.

The rally was organized by opposition leader Peter Magyar, whose Tisza party is currently leading opinion polls ahead of parliamentary elections. In his speech, he called on Orbán to resign, accusing the government of failing to protect children under state care.

Cause of Budapest protests

The protests erupted after an undated video surfaced earlier this week. The footage shows the then acting head of a juvenile detention facility in Budapest using violence against children, including beating one child lying on the ground and slamming another child’s head against a table.

Following public outrage, the official resigned and was taken into custody. Police also carried out a raid at the facility and detained several other individuals.

The government’s response sparked a wave of criticism. Officials attempted to portray the affected minors as criminals. In an interview with the pro-government outlet Mandiner, Orbán effectively echoed this stance, while stating that violence is unacceptable even against convicted offenders.

The opposition described these remarks as shifting responsibility onto the victims.

Related scandals

The current protests fit into a broader political context. Less than two years ago, Hungarian President Katalin Novak, an Orbán ally, resigned after public outrage over a pardon granted to a figure involved in a pedophilia case at a state-run children’s home.

Following that scandal, Peter Magyar, a former Orbán supporter, publicly criticized the authorities and went on to found the Tisza political movement.

The opposition politician has repeatedly highlighted the dire conditions faced by children in neglected and underfunded state institutions.

Viktor Orbán's presidential ambitions

Bloomberg recently reported that Viktor Orbán is seeking to become Hungary’s president with expanded powers.

A source told the outlet that Orbán raised the issue of a presidential system after meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House last month, saying the idea was "always being discussed."

As president, Orbán would be able to limit the political prospects of Tisza party leader Peter Magyar, who plans to improve relations with the European Union after years of confrontation with Brussels.

In Hungary, the head of state is elected by parliament. The current president, Tamas Sulyok, is due to leave office in 2029 when his term expires.

Bloomberg notes that on December 10, Hungary’s parliament, where Orbán’s party holds a majority, passed legislation making it more difficult for lawmakers to remove a president from office in the future.

Orbán's statements

Recently, the Hungarian prime minister said the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary elections would determine whether Budapest goes to war with Russia.

Earlier, Orbán stated that ending the war in Ukraine would only be possible by returning Ukraine to the status of a "buffer state."