On Sunday, 17 March, in a deliberate echo of the events that triggered the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, protesters gathered in Budapest's Kalvin Square to demand a return to democratic values, especially freedom of the press.
The protests, delayed due to freezing weather conditions, were meant to coincide with Hungary's National Day, which honours the courage of reformists who took to the streets on 15 March 1848 to protest monarchic rule.
Today, demonstrations are aimed at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, which pushed through constitutional amendments on 11 March. Many independent observers view these latest changes - which follow the passage of a new Constitution in January 2012 - as yet another attempt by Orban's conservative Fidesz Party to consolidate power and eliminate checks and balances. Moreover, there is increasing concern that the present Constitution will harm vulnerable members of Hungarian society, including the poor, homeless, and minorities.
The leaders of the 1848 Revolution drafted Twelve Points which became the foundation of Hungarian democracy. The first point reads: "We demand the freedom of the press, the abolition of censorship."
Similarly, the 17 March protestors laid out their "12+1 Points" before a crowd of several thousands. The protestors came from all walks of life, representing diverse ages and backgrounds. The event was organized by One Million for the Freedom of Press in Hungary, a grassroots civil action group that was established in January 2011 in reaction to Orban's new media law, which allows the government to impose fines on journalists for "violating public interest, public morals or order."
On Sunday, speeches were given by famous figures of the Hungarian Left, including women's rights activist Rita Antoni, constitutional lawyer Laszlo Majtényi, civil rights activist Jenő Setét, free speech scholar Peter Molnar, and Arpad Schilling, creative director of Krétakör, a contemporary art centre and production company.
The event began with a mock "dictator", who satirized the petit-dictatorship of Orban's government with a fiery speech. The tone grew more sombre as Ms. Antoni began reading the 12+1 Points. Their contents hint at the state of Hungarian society and politics today.
First on the list is a demand that no one should be jailed for being poor - a direct jab at the latest constitutional amendments, which legalise the imprisonment of the homeless and destitute. Other points demand an end to police brutality, the continuance of social entitlement programs, free use of public spaces, and national debt reduction measures.
Mr. Molnar rallied the crowd by reminding them that "Freedom is the true Hungarian tradition!" He was referring in part to Hungary's place at the forefront of democratic movements, for example the anti-Communist Uprising that took place in 1956. Even though this rebellion was crushed, Hungary led the way among Central and Eastern European countries toward peaceful regime change in the 1980s.
Mr. Molnar rallied the crowd by reminding them that "Freedom is the true Hungarian tradition!" He was referring in part to Hungary's place at the forefront of democratic movements, for example the anti-Communist Uprising that took place in 1956. Even though this rebellion was crushed, Hungary led the way among Central and Eastern European countries toward peaceful regime change in the 1980s.
At the moment, however, there is a feeling in Budapest that things are changing for the worse. It remains to be seen whether there will be enough discontent by the 2014 elections to make good on the protesters' demands.
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