Peace March to Send Message Against War, Ukrainian Blackmail, and Tisza Party Hatred

The domestic and international environment is becoming increasingly alarming, and Hungary is facing growing threats. Hungarians can stand up against these dangers at the March 15 Peace March. Alongside the threat of war and Ukraine's blackmail, the past weeks have also seen politicians and supporters of the Tisza Party adopt increasingly harsh and threatening rhetoric.

Peace March (Photo: Sandor Csudai)

Ahead of the parliamentary elections, patriotic right-wing supporters will once again take to the streets at the March 15 Pace March. This year’s event will be the fourth Peace March since the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine war. At the March 15 Peace March in 2022, Hungarians sent a clear message to Brussels and to the Hungarian left that they do not want to be dragged into any war and do not want to send either weapons or soldiers to the front lines.

The March 15 Peace March will be held at a decisive moment (Photo: Balazs Hatlaczki)

The threat of war continues to exist, but citizens can say no to Ukraine's blackmail at the Peace March. Events of recent weeks have shown that it is more important than ever for Hungarians to make their voices heard. As is known, Ukraine has not restarted oil deliveries to Hungary for political reasons in a bid to blackmail Hungary. At the same time, the leadership in Brussels has sided with Ukraine rather than Hungary in the dispute.

Hungarians can also stand up against the death threat Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directed at  Hungary’s Prime Minister. As reported in an earlier article, he Ukrainian president held a press conference on the situation of the country’s armed forces. During the briefing he said he hoped that the ninety-billion-euro joint loan package—currently blocked by Hungary due to the shutdown of the Druzhba oil pipeline—would pass so that Ukrainian soldiers could obtain new weapons. However, if Hungary maintains its veto, Zelensky would send soldiers to visit Viktor Orban.

 

Peace March Shows Strength Against Tisza Party Threats
 

The Peace March is important not only because of the dangers posed by war. Political discourse has also become increasingly violent during the election campaign. In recent weeks there have been multiple cases in which politicians and supporters of the Tisza Party used harsh and threatening language. Public outrage grew after a Fidesz activist was shot at in Szentendre on Saturday. Government spokesperson Eszter Vitalyos, who is also the parliamentary representative for the region, reported that

one of her volunteers was shot at with a gas pistol from a window while he was going door-to-door knocking on houses.

Politicians from the governing parties condemned the incident. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the opposition was building a community of hatred. Peter Magyar reacted to the attack during a public forum in Budakeszi, but immediately tried to deflect responsibility and downplay the incident, accusing the governing parties of lying.

The shooting at the Fidesz activist was just a game, he said.

This was not the only scandalous incident in recent weeks. In the city of Gyor, a muscular, shaved-headed Tisza Party activist verbally harassed elderly volunteers working at a Fidesz stand. Footage of the incident was posted by te man himself, Daniel Wunderlich, founder of the Thanos Plein brand, on his own social media page.

Where is the 1.7 billion?

he shouted into the ears of the elderly activists.

In his post he proudly wrote that the young activists at the stand were unable to answer his question.

There have also been incidents in Budapest. In the capital, a Fidesz activist was attacked after confronting a man who was vandalizing the posters of the governing parties. The attacker had been walking his dog near Hunyadi Square in the city’s 6th district during the evening, systematically cutting down posters of the local Fidesz–KDNP candidate. A Fidesz activist noticed this and began filming the man with his phone. The individual had a cutting tool in his possession. After the activist confronted him about the vandalism, the man attacked him and struck him multiple times.

At the Jaszszentlaszlo stop of Peter Magyar’s nationwide tour, he referred to the strict laws of the Middle Ages when discussing modern criminal justice practice and then issued a threat directed at Hir TV. The president of the Tisza Party said it was unfortunate that today authorities cannot act with the same severity against certain crimes as they could during the reign of King Saint Ladislaus of the Arpad dynasty.

“Those who have something to fear are those who would also have had something to fear from the law in the time of King Saint Ladislaus,” he said, adding that 

unfortunately today we can no longer act with such strictness against certain crimes, although some people might deserve it. Dear Hir TV!

Fidesz Is a Community of Love

Prime Minister Viktor Orban also addressed the growing aggressiveness coming from the Tisza Party. In his speech at the anti-war rally organized by the Digital Civic Circles in Debrecen, he said the election is about whether Hungary’s future will be built on hatred or on love.

this election is about whether Hungary’s future will be built on hatred or on love.

He continued by saying:

The community of Fidesz is a community of love where the homeland, the family and mutual respect are all present. On the other side there are also many people, but that is a community of hatred, and you cannot build a nation, a country or a future on hatred.

On his social media page he encouraged everyone to participate in the Peace March, which will conclude at Kossuth Square, where the official March 15 national ceremony will take place. PM Orban will deliver his speech there at 1:00 p.m.

Hundreds of Thousands Attend the Peace Marches

The tradition of the Peace March goes back many years. The first one was organized in 2012.

 Previous Peace March dates:

• January 21, 2012
• Marc 15, 2012
• October 23, 2012
• February 5, 2013 (held in Gyula)
• October 23, 2013
• March 29, 2014
• March 15, 2018
• 23 October, 2021
• March 15, 2022
• June 1, 2024
• October 23, 2025

A common feature of the Peace Marches is that they regularly attract crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

What Message Could the Peace March Send?

Peace Marches are typically organized at decisive moments, especially ahead of elections. Large turnouts have often been interpreted as signaling major victories for the governing parties. Therefore, just weeks before the elections, it will be particularly significant if 

Hungarians once again send a clear message at the Peace March that they stand with the government and on the side of peace.

Cover photo: Peace March (Photo: Sandor Csudai)