Hundreds gathered Friday evening in Szentendre to hear Prime Minister Viktor Orbán speak, as he continues a nationwide tour ahead of upcoming elections. The area in front of the stage filled up roughly an hour before the event began, and by 6 p.m., the main square was largely inaccessible, according to reports.
Attendees were given flags, torches, and signs, similar to events held earlier in Kaposvár, Eger, and Dunaújváros. Organizers repeatedly cautioned those in the front rows to wave flags carefully so as not to obstruct the view of those watching at home.
Orbán’s stop in Szentendre is the fourth in a series of appearances focused on the Pest 04 electoral district. This district has undergone significant changes, with several surrounding towns removed and areas along the northern side of the Danube Bend added. The Fidesz party is running Eszter Vitályos, a government spokesperson who previously won the seat with a 14-percentage-point margin. She is being challenged by Balázs Tóthmajor, a 38-year-traditional financial analyst, and Olga Kálmán, a journalist representing the DK party.
Orbán Viktort várják a szentendrei főtéren
Reviczky Zsolt
The Tisza party performed well in Szentendre during the 2024 European Parliament elections, trailing the governing parties by only 2.5 percentage points. However, across the entire district, the gap remained above 20 percentage points, although recent polls suggest the Tisza party has gained ground.
Many attendees in Szentendre weren’t from the town itself or identified as Fidesz supporters, suggesting a broader draw for the event. A group of three attendees said they were curious but unsure if they would stay for the duration of the speech, noting that a rally for Hungarian Prime Minister Péter had drawn a significantly larger crowd. This observation wasn’t surprising, they added, given that the city has shifted away from Fidesz support, though the redrawing of district lines could still keep the race competitive.
Vitályos Eszter kormányszóvivő a színpadon
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Two young people from Tokod and Esztergom, who had initially set out for ice cream, found themselves caught up in the event. They quickly grabbed flags and signs and said they planned to attend Orbán’s next rally in Esztergom. Though too young to vote, they indicated they would support the Tisza party, stating, “The Fidesz party has had 3-4 chances, now we’d like to see a change in government.” They conceded that a different outcome was possible, but expressed hope for a Tisza victory.
While many Fidesz supporters were present, Mária, who traveled from Budapest, expressed her conviction that Orbán is the only leader who speaks truthfully about the war and can guarantee peace. Gábor, likewise from Budapest, believes a Tisza victory would lead to war and an influx of migrants. When asked about Péter’s consistent support for maintaining the border fence, he replied, “It doesn’t matter what he says, but what they expect from him in Brussels.”
A fáklyákat ezúttal is csak Orbán Viktor beszéde előtt gyújtották meg
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One Szentendre resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said he disliked Orbán but would still vote for Fidesz, believing that the alleged corruption within the ruling party was preferable to the alternative. He declined to elaborate on his views regarding Péter. While disagreeing with Orbán’s aggressive rhetoric, he generally supported Fidesz policies and felt that four years in opposition would benefit the party, but not with Péter as the opposition leader, fearing a similar outcome to the 2002-2010 period when the MSZP party was in power.
Many in the crowd wore shirts or carried items with Orbán’s image, while others displayed support for the DK party or the Harcosok Klubja. The event began with a speech from Eszter Vitályos, who described her path to becoming a lawyer and politician as driven by a belief in justice, and praised Orbán as the only leader willing to speak the truth.
Vitályos emphasized the demand for a representative who prioritizes work and serves the community, contrasting herself with opponents she characterized as superficial and representing foreign interests. She echoed the Fidesz campaign slogan, reminding the audience of past crises – including the 2010 red sludge disaster and the ongoing war – and arguing that experienced leadership, like Orbán’s, is essential during such times.
Békegalamb
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After listing the government’s achievements – including tax benefits for mothers and energy price caps – she turned to local issues, announcing that the government would provide 500 million forint for the renovation of a local vocational school and 700 million forint for the renovation of a commercial building in the main square. However, one Szentendre resident noted that the latter project had been promised previously but stalled after the Fidesz mayor was voted out of office in 2024.
Following Vitályos, Máté Kocsis took the stage to a chorus of “We want Viktor.” The Fidesz faction leader began with a joke about the crowd, seemingly referencing the presence of foreign workers. He then focused heavily on Ukraine, speaking about the country’s decision to cut off gas supplies, which he claimed was a politically motivated attempt to create chaos and benefit the Tisza party. “The need to move away from cheap Russian energy is part of the Tisza program, and Zelenskyy is simply implementing it,” he said, adding that the impact of the oil embargo has been mitigated by the government’s fuel price cap.
Kocsis Máté Szentendrén
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Kocsis also addressed young people, stating he didn’t want them to live under a left-wing government. He acknowledged that young people are often critical, but claimed they secretly support Fidesz.
Orbán’s arrival was met with a large ovation and chants of his name. The Prime Minister, recently returned from Brussels, began by urging the audience not to believe the left-wing media, which he claimed would misrepresent the size of the crowd. He asserted that large numbers of people had gathered not only in Szentendre but at previous stops on the tour.
His speech largely covered familiar themes: family tax benefits, tax exemptions for mothers, affordable loans, and the government’s ability to fund these programs despite the economic impact of the war. He attributed this to the Fidesz government’s refusal to send Hungarian funds to Ukraine and its collection of 15,000 billion forint from foreign multinational corporations. He claimed that the Tisza party’s shadow government would reverse these policies, with representatives from Shell and Erste Bank already involved.
Orbán Viktor érkezik a színpadra
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He specifically requested that attendees vote for Eszter Vitályos, praising her intelligence, beauty, courage, and sound judgment, and noting her willingness to serve as a government spokesperson.
Orbán described Szentendre as a fortunate city, citing government decrees related to various development projects. He did not elaborate on the specifics of these projects.
Turning to the war, he reiterated his stance – that simply wanting to stay out of the conflict isn’t enough. He acknowledged that “no Hungarian wants war,” but argued that the key question is who can keep the country out of it, a task he believes only his government is capable of. He called for a renewal of the “anti-war alliance” formed in 2022.
He indirectly acknowledged that Fidesz isn’t doing well.
“Don’t just vote for us on April 12. That’s good, but it’s not enough,” he said, urging everyone to do more in the remaining days: knock on doors, distribute leaflets, or engage online, even if they’re uncomfortable doing so, and advocate for Vitályos and the government.
Orbán Viktor országjáráson Szentendrén
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The event was largely peaceful, though one young man began shouting “corrupt Fidesz” during Orbán’s speech and was quickly removed by security. The crowd frequently chanted the Prime Minister’s name and booed the mention of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Péter Magyar.
Photo credit: Reviczky Zsolt
https://hvg.hu/itthon/20260318_orban-orszagjaras-dunaujvaros-kampany
