The turnout at the so-called “Patriots’ Grand Assembly” in Budapest was modest. Despite appearances by well-known European far-right figures, only about 2,000 people gathered at Millenaris Park last Monday.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban shared the stage with Geert Wilders (Netherlands), Marine Le Pen (France) and Santiago Abascal (Spain). The crowd appeared mostly older Fidesz supporters. An elderly woman who recently returned from the US told DW, “I want Fidesz and peace to prevail.” Another attendee said she was there because she is “a Hungarian, peace-loving Christian” who supports conservative values.
Foreign guests lavished praise on Orban: Wilders called him a “lion,” Italy’s Matteo Salvini hailed him as a “true hero,” and Austria’s Herbert Kickl said Orban was the “only one who can see among the blind in Brussels.” Orban’s own speech recycled familiar themes — promising that “patriotic forces will take Brussels,” blaming liberal-progressive EU governments for economic and social decline, and claiming Hungary is prospering under his rule. His rhetoric at times echoed triumphalist language once used by communist leaders, a contrast to visible hardship in many parts of the Hungarian countryside.
Political analysts see these events as targeted pre-election messaging. Bulcsu Hunyadi of Political Capital says rallies like this aim to display Orban’s international allies and bolster his image, but mainly reach those already sympathetic to him. Orban also spoke at CPAC Hungary over the weekend; observers described both appearances as showing an aging autocrat clinging to power.
Despite the show of support, Orban faces serious trouble ahead of the April 12 parliamentary vote. The government has reportedly diverted state funds and personnel to the campaign — actions critics say are illegal. Polls show Orban’s Fidesz trailing the opposition “Tisza,” or the Respect and Freedom Party, by a wide margin.
Domestic scandals further damage Orban’s standing. The biggest corruption story involves former National Bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy and an extravagant €275 million renovation of the central bank building, which included a deluxe bathroom with gold and black marble and golden toilet accessories. Investigations and documents released after a long legal battle by independent outlet 444.hu suggest public funds were funneled into schemes that benefited Matolcsy’s circle. The golden toilet brush has become a symbol of elite decadence.
A separate environmental scandal around a battery factory north of Budapest has also provoked outrage. Reporting indicates Samsung violated environmental rules for years, exposing workers to toxic heavy-metal dust, and the government did not act. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is accused of preventing sanctions, reinforcing perceptions that the ruling elite profits at citizens’ expense.
Questions about Kremlin influence compound the problems. Investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi published a 2020 transcript in which Szijjarto appears to ask Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov for campaign help for populist and far-right parties in neighboring Slovakia. More recently, revelations that Szijjarto phoned Moscow during European Council meetings to brief Kremlin officials — admitted by Szijjarto as routine diplomacy — clash with Orban’s sovereignty rhetoric and his tendency to label opponents as foreign-paid puppets.
Many Budapest residents were indifferent or hostile to the “Patriots’ Grand Assembly.” Some passersby had not heard of the rally; others were angered. Dani, a man in his mid-twenties, called the event “pathetic” and said recent scandals had eroded nationalist credibility. For now, the gathering may have served more as a display for already committed supporters than a persuasive tool to win undecided voters ahead of a tightly contested election.
This article was originally published in German.