Thousands of Fidesz supporters gathered in Budapest on 23 October, Hungary’s national holiday commemorating the defeated uprising against the Soviets in 1956. The event, dubbed a “Peace March” was organized by an NGO (CÖF – Civil Összefogás Fórum) with multiple connections to Hungary’s bigger governing party, although officially independent from Fidesz. There have been several similar Peace Marches held in support of the various Orbán governments before and this was not the first time the event happened to coincide with a national holiday.
When the crowd arrived at Kossuth Square, they were greeted with signs that read: “Anyone who’s Hungarian is with us!” (Aki magyar, velünk tart!). After a short program reminding the participants of the events of the fall of 1956 and highlighting some freedom fighters from that time by name, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took to the stage. He started by complimenting the size of the crowd (This crowd can even be seen from space!), to which the thousands filling the square responded by chanting "Viktor, Viktor."
The PM told them: "Today you have once again taken back and filled the streets of Budapest, our nation’s capital. You brought flags, faith, and hope with you, just as those on October 23,1956 did." said the Prime Minister. According to him, the participants of the Peace March were able to keep Europe's only national, conservative government in power for 16 years. He congratulated them because, as he said:
“You managed to keep our country the only migrant-free country in Europe… it was this community that was able to defend families from the whole snake pit of Brussels, to protect children, and to expel LGBTQ activists from schools.”
The Prime Minister added that “there are millions of Europeans from Portugal to Lithuania who would like to see a political movement like the Peace March, and they would "gladly give their right arm" to have a migrant-free country. "We didn't have to do that," Orbán said, "because the Peace March was sober-minded and it persevered."
"Thank you, bravo, and hats off!" Orbán said. He believes that for this reason it is fitting and appropriate to celebrate the heroes of the revolution with a Peace March.
According to Orbán, without the Hungarians, communism would have never fallen, there would have been no Prague Spring, and the Berlin Wall would not have come down either.
Summarizing the country’s twentieth century history, he said: "A big chunk of our country was taken away from us, and what was left of it ended up groaning under foreign occupation, which then tried to wipe out our national identity," he said, without mentioning that it was Soviet occupying forces that the revolutionaries fought in 1956. In Orbán's opinion, that's why we need to rise up again and again, each time foreigners are trying to force their will on us.
We are not interested in rewards, and we don't lecture anyone on the right way to live their lives. We aren't chasing worldly glory, Orbán said. "All we are asking for is one thing: that we be left alone!" Orbán said.
Our reporter who was at Kossuth Square reported that around this time, more and more people started walking away from the crowd on nearby Alkotmány Street. They didn't seem to be listening to the speech, although many had come wearing orange (the colour of Fidesz’s logo) T-shirts.
‘We don’t want to die for Ukraine’
In line with the message of the huge banner carried by those at the front of the marching crowd, which read: “We don’t want to die for Ukraine”, Orbán proceeded to explain to the crowd that Brussels has decided to go to war, and the pro-war countries have even formed an alliance for this purpose. "They call themselves the alliance of the willing – meaning that they are willing to send others to their deaths," he said.
According to Orbán, if the pro-war countries weren't constantly working on" derailing" Trump's efforts, there would already be peace in Ukraine.
“Hungary has sided with peace. The Russian-Ukrainian war is not our war," he said. His message to the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia was: "We are with you", adding that "only countries have borders, nations do not. Not one Hungarian is on their own".
Orbán said that "Brussels has run out of money. There is no money, but they still want to go to war." According to him, this is why "they" want to raise taxes and eliminate utility subsidies (the governing parties have consistently accused the EU of the latter and have recently been accusing the opposition Tisza party of the former – ed) to "make us pay for the war." The Prime Minister said that although the EU is talking about supporting Ukraine, what is actually on the agenda is dividing the country up.
He then went on to point out that although the Ukrainians are treating Hungarians badly, Hungary is nevertheless helping them achieve peace. He reiterated his oft-repeated opinion that Ukraine is no longer a sovereign and independent country. "We are the only country where peace can be brokered, and we are ready to help make it happen."
According to Orbán, Hungary wants Ukraine to be connected to the European Union, but does not want to be in the same alliance with it. "Yes to partnership, no to membership!" Orbán said in summary. "No matter how much the traitors scream 'Slava Ukraini,
We don’t want to die for Ukraine, but will live for Hungary," he said.
The Hungarians who have been misled
"Those of us who are here understand what we need to do five months from now. When the time comes to make a move, we will act together; when the moment comes and we need to take a swipe, we will take a swipe with our ballpoint pens”, he said, referring to the elections coming up in April 2026.
According to Orbán, in the next five months, "we will need to have a talk with the Hungarians "who have been mislead" because "each Hungarian is responsible for all Hungarians".
"There are many Hungarians who believe they are supporting a good cause when they support Brussels and the candidates for a puppet government sent here by Brussels. We have to tell them that today, Brussels is not good, but would bring calamity upon us."
"Those who believe that they are in favour of a change of government are in fact supporting war, whether they believe it or not."
"In 1956, the question was: freedom or servitude; Today, it is: war or peace," Viktor Orbán said. The Prime Minister then added that "the ground is moving under the feet of the European liberal elite," as there have been changes in several countries, and "the American president is also with us." He believes that Hungary is now the European capital of peace, while in 1956 it was the capital of freedom.
Orbán ended his speech with his signature "God above us all, Hungary above all else, go Hungary, go Hungarians!," and then joined the performers on stage to sing along with them.
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