Waving flags, tens of thousands of people gathered in Budapest today to protest against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the leader of the growing opposition Tisza party vowed to make Hungary part of a strong Europe and end Orban's 15-year rule.

Peter Magyar, a former government insider, launched his movement a year ago and his Tisza (Tisa) party - named after Hungary's second-largest river - leads Orban's Fidesz in most polls a year ahead of the 2026 election, while the economy is struggling.

Hungary's Russian-backed Orban regime is not only facing falling poll numbers, but now massive protests have erupted in Budapest.

Orban, who has repeatedly clashed with the EU over policies that critics say have undermined democracy in Hungary, earlier today vowed to crack down on politicians and journalists who receive foreign funding and again ruled out Ukraine's EU membership.

"Those who betray their nation should end up in the dustbin of history. Our time has come," Magyar said.

He announced that Tisza would launch a public opinion poll on 12 key economic and political issues to "listen to the nation."

Opposition leader Péter Magyar declared that those who betray their nation "should end up in the dustbin of history," reports KosovaPress.

At a rally on Hungary's national holiday, Orban declared it was time to eliminate what he called a "shadow army" of NGOs, journalists, judges and politicians paid by the United States and Brussels, referring to his plans to crack down on NGOs and media outlets that receive funding from USAID and billionaire George Soros.

Last month, he announced that Hungary would adopt a law to protect national sovereignty and to disclose foreign funds financing Hungarian media and, as he called them, quasi-non-governmental organizations.

This week, his Fidesz party presented a proposal for constitutional changes that would allow the expulsion of dual citizens deemed to pose a threat to Hungarian sovereignty.