Budapest: Thousands of Hungarians rallied outside the headquarters of the state broadcaster MTVA on Saturday, demanding an end to what they see as government-controlled “propaganda” and calling for an independent public media. Protestors, led by Hungary’s opposition TISZA party, criticized the broadcaster for favoring Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling Fidesz party and silencing dissenting voices.
The center-right TISZA party, led by Peter Magyar, a media-savvy political newcomer, has emerged as the strongest opposition to Orban’s right-wing nationalist government since he came to power in 2010. Magyar, along with TISZA supporters, claims that the public broadcaster only features politicians from Orban’s government and analysts who support their narrative, ignoring alternative viewpoints.
Waving national flags and holding banners that read “Stop Propaganda”, thousands of TISZA supporters gathered in Budapest, chanting “We are not afraid” and “We’ve had enough”. It was the latest in a series of mass rallies organized by Magyar, as he taps into growing discontent with Orban’s government.
“We have had enough of the malice, the lies, the propaganda, our patience has run out,” Magyar declared to the crowd. “What we have as public service media in Hungary today is a global scandal, we have had enough.” He further demanded that public television broadcast the protest “unedited” to the Hungarian public.
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TISZA, an acronym for Tisztelet es Szabadsag (Respect and Freedom), has seen its popularity grow rapidly. A recent poll conducted by Median shows the party has 39% support among voters, compared to 43% for Orban’s Fidesz party. With elections set for early 2026, TISZA is positioning itself as the biggest challenge to Orban’s long-standing grip on power.
Magyar, capitalizing on frustrations stemming from an inflation-ravaged economy, has promised to root out corruption, restore independent public service media, and reinstate democratic checks and balances that critics say have eroded under Orban’s leadership.
While Hungary’s state media has been accused of operating as a government mouthpiece, private media outlets are largely controlled by allies of Orban’s Fidesz party. The government has repeatedly denied claims that it has undermined press freedom.
Irene Khan, U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, recently voiced concerns over Hungary’s media environment, stating that “pluralism, diversity, and independence of media is being questioned.”
