BUDAPEST — Viktor Orban, Hungary’s former nationalist prime minister who was swept from office after 16 years when he lost an election in April, is calling on his followers to fight back against what he describes as the destruction of democracy in the country.
Orban broke his post-election silence late Tuesday with a forceful political message posted to Facebook, releasing what he called a “Statement of Resistance.” The move came shortly after his Fidesz party announced that prosecutors had searched offices where the party’s internet servers are kept.
In a response sent by email to Reuters, prosecutors said the search was connected to an investigation into “misappropriation and other criminal offences” tied to the National Culture Fund, known as the NKA, during the time Orban led the government. Orban has denied the corruption allegations.
Orban argued that Hungary “ceased to be a democratic state” after Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s new centre-right administration pushed through a constitutional change that cut short the terms of both the country’s president and the head of its constitutional court.
That amendment ended President Tamas Sulyok’s time in office, with parliament citing a “serious loss of confidence” in a leader who had been chosen in 2024 by Fidesz lawmakers. A new president is expected to be elected by parliament in the near future.
“Again the age of tyranny started in Hungary,” Orban declared in his statement.
He went on to say: “The new political system created this way is illegitimate…Fidesz will use all peaceful tools against abuse of power inside parliament and outside parliament.”
Magyar’s Tisza party holds a supermajority in parliament, giving it the authority to undo changes Orban put in place that Magyar argues were harmful to democracy. Tisza has rejected accusations that it is taking an authoritarian approach toward political opponents, and has pledged to root out corruption it says was widespread under Orban’s rule — part of a broader effort to realign Hungary with the European Union.
Orban himself faced sustained criticism while in power over Hungary’s democratic standards, and his government repeatedly clashed with the EU over issues including the rule of law and minority rights.
Magyar’s Tisza party currently enjoys strong public backing. A poll conducted earlier this month by pollster Median showed 60% support for Tisza, compared to just 18% for Fidesz. Since the election, the Fidesz party has struggled to regroup, with its parliamentary group leader stepping down last week.
Orban was scheduled to hold a press briefing at 0830 GMT.
