Orban's rhetoric heats up as political pressure mounts
After a decade and a half in power, Viktor Orban is facing serious competition and is becoming increasingly nervous. The Hungarian Prime Minister called his political opponents and critics of his government "bugs."
- After today's celebrations, comes the big Easter cleaning up as the bugs have survived the winter - Orban said in a speech given on March 15 in Budapest on the occasion of Hungary's National Day.
- The bugs have survived the winter - he stated. - We will eliminate the whole shadow army ... who have supported the empire for money, against their own country - he added.
Orban is accused of ruling his country for nearly 15 years using authoritarian methods. It is alleged that the Hungarian leader has abused public funds to enrich oligarchs dependent on him and his own relatives.
Orban refers to himself as a "freedom fighter," claiming that Brussels is "conspiring" against him. In his view, critics and opponents in his own country are merely "puppets of EU bureaucracy" and its alleged supporters from the global financial world.
Orban under pressure
The Hungarian Prime Minister has been under pressure in his own country since exactly a year ago, when a serious contender emerged. The moderately conservative Peter Magyar, who hails from Orban's Fidesz party, was the husband of former Justice Minister Judit Varga.
Magyar founded his own party, which regularly significantly outpaces Orban's party in independent public opinion polls. The next parliamentary elections in Hungary will take place in the spring of 2026.
Orban is becoming increasingly nervous and threatens even greater repression. Referring to political opponents and critics as "bugs" is an expression of his harsher tone, reminiscent of Nazi jargon. There is no evidence that political activists or civil society representatives and independent media workers are "bought" by the EU or other Western donors.
Many civic organizations and media outlets receive funding from state and private institutions in the West. They apply for these funds through transparent procedures and regularly report on their use. So far, this has also been in accordance with Hungarian law.
