2006 protests in Hungary

The 2006 protests in Hungary were a series of anti-government protests. They began after a private speech by Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány was made public. In that speech, he admitted that his party, the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), had not been honest when they won the 2006 election. Many people felt upset by this, and large protests started.

Most of the protests happened in Budapest and other big cities in Hungary. They continued for several weeks, from September 17th to October 23rd, 2006. These protests were very important because they were the first big, ongoing protests in Hungary since 1989. They showed how people felt about the government and their leaders at that time.

Disclosure of Őszöd speech

Further information: Őszöd speech

On September 17, 2006, a recording from a private meeting was shared. In this meeting, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Ferenc Gyurcsány, spoke honestly about his government's actions. He said they had made many mistakes and had not done much good during their time in charge.

Later that day, people gathered near the Parliament building, asking the Prime Minister to step down. By midnight, about 2,000 people had come to show their feelings. Some also visited the State President’s home but then went back. These early protests were calm and peaceful.

September 18

Budapest

Civil unrest

On September 18, people gathered near the Hungarian Parliament to protest because they felt the Prime Minister and his party had not been honest. About 40,000 people wanted the Prime Minister and his party to step down because they believed they had lied.

Occupation of MTV Headquarters

Later that night, some protesters tried to enter the Magyar Televízió building at Szabadság Tér (Liberty Square) to share their message on television. When they were not allowed in, some protesters became upset and tried to break in. Police used tear gas and water cannons to try to stop them. The protesters threw objects at the police and set some cars on fire. Some protesters entered the building and caused damage, breaking things and taking some valuable items. The police finally regained control of the building the next morning. Many people were hurt during the protests, and there was a lot of damage to property.

Other cities

In Miskolc, about 2,000 people gathered to show their disapproval of the government. They sang anthems and marched to government buildings. In a statement, the opposition party Fidesz accused some local government members of knowing about the Prime Minister's dishonesty but staying silent.

After the occupation of the TV headquarters

September 19

Budapest

In the evening, a mostly peaceful demonstration took place at Kossuth Square, except for some people damaging a tram and a car near the Socialist Party's office.

Later that night, violence broke out in other parts of the city. Police used tear gas and water cannons to control the crowds. About 3,000 protesters gathered at Blaha Lujza Square, demanding the prime minister to leave. Some protesters threw things at the police and set a police car on fire. By morning, the streets were cleared, and many people were arrested or injured. Most media called the violent people "troublemakers."

On a late-night TV show, the prime minister admitted that his party had not been honest but refused to resign. He said he would continue with his plans despite the protests.

Other cities

In Miskolc, people protested holding signs criticizing the prime minister. They went to the city hall and the Socialist Party's office, singing songs and standing with their backs to the buildings. In Szeged, hundreds of people marched to the Socialist Party's building, which was protected by police. The protests continued the next day with thousands of people demanding the government's resignation.

In Eger, about 1,000 people asked the president to dissolve the government.

Romania

In Romania, peaceful protests took place in cities with many Hungarian people. In Odorheiu Secuiesc, about 700 people held a candlelight vigil showing support for the protesters in Budapest.

September 20

Budapest

During the day, the city remained peaceful, but reminders of the previous night's violence were everywhere. Political leaders urged people to avoid violence. Police arrested many people they thought might cause trouble. Riot police were ready at important places.

At night, about 2,000 people marched along Andrássy Avenue, demanding the prime minister to leave. Police controlled the situation, and there were no serious attacks, though some people reported unfair treatment by police. Overall, the night was calmer, with many arrests but less violence.

Other cities

In Miskolc, the window of the Socialist Party's office was broken. In Debrecen, the mayor criticized the mayor of Budapest for not doing enough. A peaceful rally happened in Pécs.

Other countries

• Romania: A peaceful protest took place in Marosvásárhely showing support for the Budapest protesters.
• Serbia: A small protest happened in Zenta organized by a local political group.

September 21

Budapest

Peaceful protests continued, but fewer people showed up. The main opposition party canceled a planned rally. A small fire damaged an office of the Socialist Party in Újpest.

September 22

Budapest

The day was quiet. A large, peaceful demonstration happened in the evening on Kossuth Square. The prime minister traveled to Berlin, Germany, for a meeting.

Other cities

In Miskolc, protests continued with fewer people. In Debrecen, Szeged, and other cities, hundreds of people protested.

Other countries

• Austria: About 60 people protested in Vienna.
• Canada: Plans were made for a protest in Toronto.
• Switzerland: About 60 people protested in Bern.
• United States: Demonstrations happened in New York City and Los Angeles.

September 23

Between 20,000 and 50,000 people protested in Budapest.

September 24

The peaceful demonstration on Kossuth Square continued with about 10,000 to 12,000 people. Newspapers had different opinions about the protests.

September 25

Organizations and groups in Hungary and abroad called for the government to step down. Renovations began on the TV hall. Peaceful protests continued in many places.

September 26

More public figures called for the prime minister to resign. Demonstrations went on.

Influences on the 2006 municipal elections

On October 1, 2006, local elections were held in Hungary. Many people in cities were encouraged by protesters not to vote for the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) candidates. The party Fidesz reminded people in its campaign materials and phone messages about the honest mistakes the leader had admitted.

The leader of MSZP said in a speech that the local elections would not change his party’s position in power. People booed him during his speech.

More people voted in these elections than in 2002, with 53.1% of people taking part. Opposition parties won in many areas, including county and Budapest assemblies and some important city mayoral races. Even though the honest mistakes had caused a lot of talk, the leader’s party still kept some positions, like in Budapest where Gábor Demszky was elected again as mayor.

For more information about the election results, see Elections in Hungary.

Post-election protests

After the elections, people kept protesting in Budapest every day until October 23, and in other cities every week until winter. They wanted the government to step down because they were unhappy with how things were being handled.

October 23

On the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, there were fights between people protesting and the police. The police used horses, tear gas, and rubber bullets to control the crowd. Some people were hurt, including one man who lost sight in one eye from a rubber bullet.

The protests began early in the morning when police decided to clear a square where people were gathered. Many protesters moved to nearby streets. Later, more people joined the protest, and they tried to march back to the square. Police used tear gas to stop them, and some protesters used an old tank they found to push back, but the tank stopped to avoid hurting people.

There were reports of broken windows and other damage, and many people were hurt on both sides. Police actions were seen as very harsh, and they did not always distinguish between peaceful people and protesters. The protests ended early in the morning after more clashes near a bridge over the river.

November 4 and the end of the protests

On November 1, the main opposition party Fidesz announced plans for big demonstrations across Hungary to remember those who suffered during the Soviet invasion in 1956 and to speak out against unfair treatment by police during the October 23 unrest in Budapest. On November 4, people held a quiet candlelight march in Budapest. The protests slowly stopped by the end of the year, and the big protests that were expected in the spring of 2007 never happened.

Aftermath

In February 2007, a report about the protests was released. The report said the protests started because people were unsure about changes the government was making. It also said that a political group called Fidesz tried to remove the leader from office, which made things worse.

The report said the police had to use force, but they were sometimes too rough. It suggested some changes, like not using certain weapons and only using specially trained police for big crowds.

In May 2007, the leader of Hungary announced that some important police leaders were leaving their jobs. He said this was to help people trust the police more again. The protests helped change the government, and a new leader took over in the 2010 election.