EditTwo worlds collide on the streets of Budapest ahead of Hungary’s election
Between 85,000 and 92,000 people may have attended Orbán's Peace March, while the Tisza rally likely drew between 160,000 and 170,000 participants
Two rival political camps filled the streets of Budapest on 15 March, as Hungary marked the anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 just four weeks before parliamentary elections. Competing marches organised by the ruling Fidesz and the opposition Tisza Party turned the capital into a stage for two sharply different campaign narratives – one centred on sovereignty and security, the other on freedom and political change.
Hungary will hold parliamentary elections on 12 April 2026, in a vote that could mark the most serious political challenge to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in more than a decade. For the first time in 16 years, Orbán faces strong competition from Péter Magyar and his Tisza party, with opinion polls showing the gap between the ruling Fidesz and the opposition narrowing. With political tensions rising to levels unseen in years, the outcome could also reshape the balance of power in the EU, particularly on issues such as enlargement and support for Ukraine.
Fidesz’s so-called “Peace March” moved from Margaret Bridge to Kossuth Square, while the Tisza Party’s National March stretched from Deák Square to Heroes’ Square. Beyond differences in crowd size and atmosphere, the rallies highlighted contrasting visions of Hungary’s future, even as both sides framed their messages around peace and sovereignty.
According to “cell-based estimates” by the Hungarian Tourism Agency, around 180,000 mobile phones were detected in Kossuth Square and surrounding streets for Fidesz rally, while roughly 150,000 devices were identified in Heroes’ Square and along Andrássy Avenue. Such figures cannot accurately determine attendance, however, since one phone may connect to several towers and some individuals carry multiple devices.
Independent estimates differ significantly. According to these calculations, between 85,000 and 92,000 people may have attended the Peace March, while the Tisza rally likely drew between 160,000 and 170,000 participants.
Orbán frames election as a question of security
The Fidesz Peace March began early in the morning of 15 March at Elvis Presley Square. Many participants travelled from rural areas and from Hungarian communities abroad, including a group from Poland. After arriving at Kossuth Square with a delay of about half an hour, the event moved into its political programme. Before Viktor Orbán addressed the crowd, the programme included the national anthem, poetry readings and speeches by Péter Szijjártó and János Lázár.
Szijjártó focused largely on the war in Ukraine and relations with the European Union, while Lázár praised the prime minister’s leadership and criticised Péter Magyar. In the current international environment, he argued, “we cannot send a lightweight driver to a heavyweight boxing match”.
According to a summary by the Hungarian news outlet 444.hu, Orbán’s speech lasted around 25 minutes and contained roughly 1,700 words. The prime minister framed the election as a matter of national survival and repeatedly referred to external threats.
The report noted that the word “Brussels” appeared 17 times, “war” 16 times and “peace” five times. Ukraine was mentioned eight times, while Russia was not mentioned at all.
Orbán warned that further challenges lie ahead. In his view, Brussels is preparing for war and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is moving ever closer to Hungary. The key question, he argued, is who can protect the country.
“If we have to choose, form a government, Zelenskyy or I, then I recommend myself with sufficient modesty,” he said, referring to the Ukrainian President, the relations between them being notoriously tense. The Hungarian PM urged supporters to spend the next four weeks persuading voters to secure at least three million votes.
Magyar campaigns on freedom
The Tisza rally began in the afternoon, with crowds stretching from Deák Square to Heroes’ Square. By the time the procession reached the square, it was full, and Péter Magyar delivered a speech lasting more than 50 minutes.
Magyar described the revolution of 1848 as the shared heritage of all Hungarians and argued that freedom has been a constant theme throughout the country’s history.
Throughout the speech he returned to the idea of a “civic Hungary”, which he described as a country of free and self-aware citizens. Referring to Orbán as the “old emperor”, Magyar argued that the prime minister had exploited the country’s desire for freedom to build a system in which people now live as subjects rather than citizens.
A significant part of the speech focused on outlining his political programme.
Among the proposals were a “fairer tax system”, a wealth tax on billionaires, measures to address low pensions, a school start allowance of HUF 100,000 (EUR 255.40) and increased annual funding for healthcare. Magyar also proposed creating a wealth recovery office to investigate “corruption cases of the past 20 years” and, inspired by the United States presidential system, limiting the prime minister to two terms.
According to 444.hu, Magyar used the words “free” or “freedom” more than 40 times, while “war” appeared 12 times and “peace” six times. He also referred twice to Russia, prompting chants of “Russians go home!” from the crowd.
At the end of his speech, Magyar took an oath to close what he called the era of political division and urged supporters to mobilise voters in the coming weeks. The rally concluded with a joint recitation of the National Song together with the party’s candidates.
Caption: Supporters cheer as president of the opposition Tisza Party, Peter Magyar (unseen) speaks during the National March in Budapest, Hungary, 15 March 2026, on the occasion of the national holiday to mark the 178th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1848 revolution and war of independence against the Habsburg rule. EPA/BOGLARKA BODNAR
Updated: March 16, 2026 - 13:59
