Hungary's Orban accuses EU of trying to overthrow his government

By Krisztina Than

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Veteran nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused the European Union executive on Wednesday of trying to overthrow his cabinet and impose a "puppet government" on Hungary, likening his protest to the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising.

Orban, who faces the most serious 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 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 Tisza party of opposition leader Peter Magyar. Orban accused Magyar of "inviting strangers to help him against Hungarians".

The executive European Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Shortly before Orban's 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 managed to do so since 2010 when Orban was first elected.

The media-savvy Magyar, 43, a former government insider, has attracted big crowds to Tisza rallies in the past few months at which he accused the government of corruption and running a propaganda machine.

The government denies the 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 21 Research Center, a Budapest-based think-tank, showed the moderate centre-right Tisza had 42% support among decided voters, with Fidesz behind at 40%.

When looking at the entire electorate, Fidesz still led with 29% support and Tisza at 26%, the poll found. Two other recent polls showed Fidesz with a shrinking lead over Tisza.

"Hungarians have sent a message: Viktor Orban's regime is finished," Magyar said in a statement after the poll came out.

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 in countering Fidesz.

The next national election is due in early 2026.

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