Magyar challenges Orbán to a debate after Saturday's massive demonstration in Budapest

April 7 () –

The emerging politician Péter Magyar challenged Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán this Sunday to a televised debate to confront positions after tens of thousands of people supported his call on the streets of Budapest on Saturday. Magyar has expressed his intention to run in the European elections, although he has not yet specified with what formation or with what proposals.

Magyar has posted his challenge on his personal Facebook page. “The Hungarian people deserve to see clearly and be able to decide in the June 9 elections, to know the position of the three parties on the future of Hungary and its people,” she indicated.

“That is why I challenge Viktor Orbán and Ferenc Gyurcsány to a three-way debate live on public television. I am flexible, even Péter Hajdú can present the debate,” he said. Gyurcsány is the leader of the Democratic Coalition (DK, for its acronym in Hungarian), the main opposition to Orbán, with social democratic overtones.

Magyar has stated that he does not care if they join forces in the debate because “everyone knows that the three parties are really only two.” Magyar thus denounces the closeness between Orbán and the opposition of the Democratic Coalition although he himself, a lawyer, was part of Orbán's Fidesz party until this year.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Budapest on Saturday to protest against Orbán's government and denounce the “corruption” of the authorities.

“Thank you Hungary! According to the Police, 250,000; according to Government propaganda, 24,000. In reality there were 300,000-400,000 people. In short, after April 6, after this, nothing will be the same. Step by step, brick we will take back our country with a brick. We started working together today,” Magyar highlighted.

On Saturday in Kossuth Square in Budapest, in front of the Parliament building, Magyar proclaimed that “the Hungarian nation has sent a message to power.” “The Government is afraid of the unity of the people of Hungary. Let me return power to the people,” he snapped at the end of his National March to reconquer Hungary and build a modern, free and democratic country.