HUNGARY: Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians march in support of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party ahead of parliamentary elections

Record ID: 214538

  • Title: HUNGARY: Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians march in support of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party ahead of parliamentary elections
  • Date: 29th March 2014
  • Summary: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (MARCH 29, 2014) (REUTERS) PEOPLE MARCHING ALONG STREET PEOPLE MARCHING WITH BANNER READING (Hungarian): 'PEACE MARCH' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING CARRYING FLAGS, BANNERS AND PLACARDS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING WITH BANNER READING (English): 'VOTE FOR ORBAN AGAIN' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING AND CHEERING WOMAN HOLDING FIDESZ PARTY BANNER WITH 'APRIL 6' THE DATE OF THE ELECTIONS WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE PEOPLE MARCHING CARRYING FIDESZ BANNERS WOMAN WAVING AS SHE WALKS PAST PILE OF FIDESZ BANNERS (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) RESIDENT KATALIN KAPUVARI SAYING: "All the policies they have done are good, especially the energy price cuts. People have more money left in their pockets. My mother is 90 years old and every month she pays 5,000 Forints less, which is a good sum of money for her. And we all feel that the electricity and gas cost less each month, and our life has become easier." PEOPLE MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) RESIDENT CHRIS KENNEDY SAYING: "We simply believe that Viktor Orban is the future of Hungary. The opposition has been given opportunity in the past and they have messed it up time and time again. When they do speak they never talk about what they will do differently, all they continually do is attack Viktor Orban, whereas Viktor Orban has a plan in place for the future of Hungary." PEOPLE MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) RESIDENT ERZSEBET SCHONFELD SAYING: "What we expect from these elections is that this government should continue. We are very hopeful. Many things have happened these past four months that give us hope. It has become easier for the families, at least a little bit, but even if it's a little it's good. And also, there's a difficult economic situation around us and yet we have managed to get by." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING
  • Embargoed: 13th April 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hungary
  • Country: Hungary
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD4B73KHVUI1N5SOS7FCMPDHE7
  • Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz party marched in Budapest's city centre on Saturday (March 29) in support of the party's re-election next week.
    Barring a major upset, on April 6 Hungarians will re-elect Orban's Fidesz party for another term, the second in a row and Orban's third in all. Opinion polls suggest he will win by something approaching a landslide.
    Supporters came from all over the country for the proclaimed 'Peace March', and later joined the Fidesz party rally at Heroes Square where Orban was to speak later in the day.
    People said they were especially satisfied with the government's policy of cutting the price of household energy prices by more than 20 percent since last year, with the mostly foreign-owned firms footing the bill.

    "All the policies they have done are good, especially the energy price cuts. People have more money left in their pockets. My mother is 90 years old and every month she pays 5,000 Forints [approx 20 Euro] less, which is a good sum of money for her. And we all feel that the electricity and gas cost less each month, and our life has become easier," pensioner Katalin Kapuvari said.
    Orban's government, which is in a drive to boost state influence in the energy sector, says Hungarians pay too much for energy relative to what they earn. The measures are also part of efforts to lift consumption and boost the indebted economy.

    "We simply believe that Viktor Orban is the future of Hungary. The opposition has been given opportunity in the past and they have messed it up time and time again. When they do speak they never talk about what they will do differently, all they continually do is attack Viktor Orban, whereas Viktor Orban has a plan in place for the future of Hungary," said Chris Kennedy, a British man who lives and works in Hungary.
    Pensioner Erzsebet Schonfeld said she is hopeful that the current government will continue after April's parliamentary elections.

    "Many things have happened these past four months that give us hope. It has become easier for the families, at least a little bit, but even if it's a little it's good. And also, there's a difficult economic situation around us and yet we have managed to get by," she added.
    Fidesz has made energy price cuts a centrepiece of its political campaign, and analysts say it has greatly increased their voters' support as well as making it harder for the opposition to build on dissatisfaction.
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