Seven days before the European and municipal elections, Prime Minister Viktor Orban gathered tens of thousands of supporters in Budapest for a “March for Peace”. Viktor Orban’s party regularly organizes these types of events before elections to cement its camp and mobilize its voters. In front of his supporters, Orban uttered the word “war” dozens of times. He uses increasingly warlike rhetoric, plunging the country into an anxiety-provoking atmosphere.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Budapest, Florence La Bruyère
In a large park on Marguerite Island, located in the middle of the Danube, the crowd was treated to an open-air show on the horrors of war, then the sovereignist Prime Minister delivered a virulent speech against Westerners, the Europe, the American philanthropist George Soros and the Hungarian left who want to drag Hungary into war.
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Coming from all over the country in buses chartered by an association close to power, Viktor Orban’s supporters all brandish the same signs provided by the party: “ No to war “.
Rhetoric based on a lie
The government claims that the European Union wants to impose military service in all member states. He suggests that the Hungarians should fight in Ukraine. However, Brussels has never put forward such an idea. But Viktor Orban builds his rhetoric on this lie. “ Do we want to shed Hungarian blood for Ukraine? We will not sacrifice our lives for others », Launches the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Ferenc, a retired trader, is convinced that Viktor Orban is right. “ Everyone wants war, destruction…We have to say no, and that’s what Viktor Orban is doing. And we are behind him! »
Attila Kesjar is a technician in a provincial factory, in the east of the country, near the Romanian border. This young father, who has three young children, says he is very worried. “ The situation worries me, we are not safe. I would like this to end quickly, and for Hungary to stay out of all this. »
The crowd cheers the prime minister: “Viktor, Viktor!” » Viktor Orban presents himself as the only politician capable of preserving peace.