Hungary's Orban accuses EU of trying to topple him as opposition rallies

By Krisztina Than

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban alleged on Wednesday that the European Union executive was trying to overthrow his government and impose a "puppet" administration on Budapest, likening his protest to the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising.

Orban, who faces the most acute threat to his 14-year rule as an opposition party led by a political newcomer has surged in the polls, spoke to supporters on the anniversary of the revolt against Soviet domination that was crushed by the Red Army.

The Hungarian premier, who has repeatedly clashed with EU leaders, most recently in the European Parliament earlier this month, said in a speech that his sovereign policies relating to the Ukraine war and migration were unacceptable to Brussels.

"We know they want to force us into the war (in Ukraine), that they want to impose their migrants upon us..., and hand over our children to gender activists," he said in a speech from a stage set up in Budapest's Millenaris Park.

"We know that they've got a puppet government (in mind), the party they want to impose on us," Orban said, alluding to the new centre-right, pro-EU Tisza party of Peter Magyar, who addressed a rally of over 10,000 people later in the day.

Orban did not say how the European Commission was allegedly seeking to topple his government and impose a puppet administration, and cited no evidence of any EU policies or statements to back up such accusations.

In Brussels, a spokesperson for the European Commission declined comment on Orban's remarks.

ORBAN'S DISPUTES WITH EU

Orban's government has opposed the EU's policy of providing military aid to Ukraine against Russia's invasion, and has also boasted about good ties with the Kremlin despite the rest of the EU seeking to isolate Moscow with sanctions over the war.

Days after Hungary took over the EU's rotating presidency in July, Orban set out on a self-styled Ukraine peace mission which included a visit to Moscow and Kyiv, and triggered a backlash from European leaders.

Orban also opposed an accord by EU government leaders to share the burden of taking in a growing number of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Hours before his speech, a new poll indicated that Tisza had overtaken Orban's hard right, anti-immigrant Fidesz party among decided voters, the first time an opposition party has managed to do so since Orban rose to power in 2010.

Later on Wednesday, Magyar told a rally of supporters chanting "we are not afraid" that Orban had "no authority to betray the heritage of 1956, has no authority to serve Russian interests".

Magyar, 43, a former government insider, accused Orban of increasingly authoritarian and corrupt government and of running a propaganda machine through Fidesz's takeover of public media.

The government has denied such allegations but Magyar has tapped into voter frustrations with Orban, especially over an economic downturn and the 27-nation EU's highest inflation rate that peaked at 25%.

The poll, conducted in the first half of October by the 21 Research Center, a Budapest-based think-tank, showed Tisza with 42% support among decided voters, with Fidesz at 40%.

As for the electorate as a whole, Fidesz still led with 29% support, 3% ahead of Tisza, the poll found. Two other recent polls showed Fidesz with a shrinking lead over Tisza.

Magyar swooped into Hungarian politics earlier this year, before the June European Parliament elections, capitalising on popular dissatisfaction with other opposition parties that have proven divided and ineffective against Fidesz.

The next national election is due in early 2026. Magyar said his party would start selecting its candidates soon.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Mark Heinrich)