Thousands took to the streets of central Budapest on Fridayto demand reform in child protection measures, Reuters reports.
In this next anti-government protest, the leading figure was again Peter Magyar, who recently launched a political movement challenging the Prime Minister.
People are chanted “Enough is enough.”
“Orbán’s government does not guarantee the basic chance for children to develop properly. They have no chance at all,” Magyar said.
As a follow-up to the scandal, the ruling Fidesz party introduced a bill to the legislature on Tuesday, which imposes tougher penalties for child sexual abuse, including impossibility to obtain parole.
In February Magyar accused the government of corruption and mismanagement centralized propaganda machine. Since then, Magyar has been able to mobilize disaffected voters in mass protests.
A former government insider, he made a splash with the pedophile scandal that shook the authorities and the Fidesz party. It costs the resignations of President Catalin Novak and Justice Minister Judit Varga. Varga is also Magyar’s ex-wife.
Hungary is investigating an Orbán rival for foreign influence
The Office for the Protection of Sovereignty, the closure of which the Venice Commission had earlier called for
Orbán’s associates rejected his accusations, and the newly created Office for the Protection of Sovereignty launched an investigation into suspected foreign funding of his campaign.
Human rights activists, American and European officials criticized The Sovereign Protection Office and the law that created it.
This year’s European and local elections may turn out to be the worst of Orbán’s 14-year rule. The economy of Hungary is in recession, the abuse scandal undermining his family values platform, and a political newcomer threatening to upend the status quo.
Orbán’s opponent appears in the next elections
Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar, who has reported high-level corruption, will take part in the European elections and the local vote
However Orbán’s Fidesz remains the most popular party in Hungary.