Name: Hungary: Child abuse scandal triggers calls for Orban to resign
Uploaded: 2025-12-16T10:21:05.675Z
Duration: 4 min 14 s
Description: In recent weeks, Hungarians have been outraged by videos showing children being abused in state-run juvenile facilities. Tens of thousands attended a protest called by opposition politician Peter Magyar at the weekend.

In recent weeks, Hungarians have been outraged by videos showing children being abused in state-run juvenile facilities. Tens of thousands attended a protest called by opposition politician Peter Magyar at the weekend.

Budapest

A major child abuse scandal has erupted in Hungary, with reports indicating that one in five children in the country's protection system has suffered abuse. The scandal has led to the arrest of several workers, mass protests in Budapest, and calls for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's resignation. 

The government's initial response, which included placing juvenile facilities under police supervision and emphasizing the criminal background of some victims, drew further public outrage. The controversy comes as Hungary approaches parliamentary elections in April 2026, raising questions about the potential political impact on the ruling Fidesz party.

Hungary: Child abuse scandal triggers calls for Orban to resign

He also asked for oral consent. I had to look at the contents, help him with sexual matters. It's heart-breaking to see Ficko walking around so leisurely. Szőlő street is a symbolic location in the sense that we get similar messages from many other child protection institutions. Here, seven workers have already been arrested, which means that in the whole institution, there was a daily practice of abusing children. Comrades, the Orbán government has failed. The report claims that one in five children in Hungary's child protection system has suffered physical, emotional or sexual abuse. And still, the government took no action. Magyar demanded Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's resignation and called on his supporters to protest. Tens of thousands marched through Budapest at the weekend, despite the freezing temperatures. We prepared them with plush animals, because we are not the kind of animals that are taken care of inside. It's humiliating, it's humiliating, and it's the lowest of the low. So I don't want them to end up in a situation like this, in which these children ended up. For years, Orbán's government has claimed it is defending children, on billboards, with slogans, even in a referendum. Then, in February 2024, that narrative collapsed. Hungary's then-president, Katalin Novák, pardoned a man involved in covering up child abuse. The country erupted, the streets filled with protesters, and Novák resigned in disgrace. The image of the ruling Fidesz party was shattered. Out of the chaos rose Péter Magyar, now Viktor Orbán's most formidable challenger. This new scandal could further damage the ruling party. The government's initial response was to place juvenile correction facilities under police supervision, and to stress that the victims seen in the most recent recordings had themselves committed crimes. I would like to make it clear, that this is not a case of a child's home or a warehouse. This is a juvenile prison. Here, 57 people were detained, and the court ordered the pre-trial detention or sentenced them. This response caused even more public outrage. Later, the Prime Minister emphasized that the abuse shown in the footage was unacceptable. You can't abuse a criminal young man the way you abused a detainee. This is unacceptable. One of Hungary's most respected child protection experts says the system hasn't improved in 30 years, and that it was only a matter of time before such footage surfaced. Since the adoption of the Child Protection Act, there have never been the financial, personal resources that would have been needed for the end. Time has passed, and the system has become so eroded that even if a little bit of damage is done, the problems will continue. Hungary is due to hold parliamentary elections in April 2026. The release of these videos comes as Viktor Orbán is entering the final months of the campaign. It remains to be seen what impact the scandal will have on the electoral race.

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