BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Hungary’s former prime minister declared on Wednesday that he and his far-right Fidesz party will lead a peaceful 鈥渞esistance鈥� movement against what he called the tyrannical exercise of power by the country’s new center-right government.
Orb谩n was defeated in a in April by Prime Minister and his pro-European Tisza party, ending his 16 years in office. Since then, Orb谩n’s nationalist Fidesz party has struggled to recover.
At a news conference outside party headquarters in Budapest, Orb谩n said a by Tisza’s majority in Parliament 鈥� which and set a 12-year term limit for members of Parliament 鈥� had 鈥渄ismantled the rule of law and eliminated the system of checks and balances.鈥�
The term limit, which applies retroactively, returns Hungary to a status similar to the final years of its Communist dictatorship in the late 1980s, Orb谩n asserted, 鈥渨hen there was no democracy in Hungary, there was no rule of law.”
He said the term limit would exclude around half of his party coalition’s sitting members from running in the next national elections set for 2030.
鈥淭his new political system is not a democracy, it is tyranny,” Orb谩n said.
New government takes aim at Orb谩n鈥檚 ‘mafia’
Since taking office in May, Magyar鈥檚 administration has gone to work dismantling what he calls Orb谩n鈥檚 鈥渕afia鈥� by removing numerous political appointees as well as heads of institutions viewed as having facilitated Orb谩n鈥檚 autocratic government.
The new administration suspended the news service of Hungary鈥檚 public television and radio 鈥� which Magyar argued for Orb谩n鈥檚 party 鈥� and closed the Sovereignty Protection Office, an authority seen by Orb谩n鈥檚 opponents as a tool for intimidating critics and silencing independent media.
Fidesz has portrayed the moves as assaults on democracy and warned of an authoritarian system in the making. Tisza argues it is using its overwhelming electoral mandate to fulfill campaign promises, combat corruption and restore the rule of law that was eroded under Orb谩n.
On Wednesday, Orb谩n said his party considers any officials Tisza appoints to replace earlier appointees 鈥渋llegitimate,鈥� and announced his party’s 鈥淒eclaration of Resistance鈥� to Magyar’s government.
Orb谩n offers few details on the new resistance
In the declaration, which Fidesz publicized late Tuesday, the party says that 鈥渇rom this day forward, our mission is to restore the democratic rule of law.鈥�
鈥淓very citizen has the right to stand against tyrannical rule,鈥� the declaration reads. 鈥淔idesz … will use every peaceful means, both inside and outside Parliament, to resist the arbitrary exercise of power.鈥�
It had few details but said it would assist 鈥渧ictims of the authoritarian regime鈥� and document violations of the law.
After dominating Hungarian politics for nearly two decades, Fidesz has spiraled since its election loss. According to a June survey by pollster Medi谩n and published by news site HVG.hu, Tisza’s support stands at 60% among the country’s entire population while Fidesz support has shrunk to 18%.
On Tuesday, prosecutors and investigators with Hungary鈥檚 tax authority as part of a probe into suspected embezzlement and other crimes during Orb谩n’s rule. Orb谩n alleged Wednesday that the raid was 鈥渙n political orders,鈥� and said such an action could occur 鈥渙nly in severe dictatorships.鈥�
Fidesz has seen some of its most prominent politicians take a back seat or leave politics. Last week, its parliamentary caucus leader Gergely Guly谩s stepped down from his role, while Orb谩n-era foreign minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 announced he was to take an executive position with Chinese carmaker BYD.
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