Hungarian TV broadcasts first political debate in 18 years

While welcomed by many viewers, the event was criticised by opponents of the ruling Fidesz government and ridiculed by others.

Transcript

00:00 Thousands of people gathered in central Budapest to watch the first political debate on Hungarian

00:06 TV in 18 years with lead candidates.

00:11 Opposition's Respect and Freedom Party deputy leader, Peter Mojar, called the rally amid

00:16 criticism of the public broadcaster's editorial balance.

00:21 Opposition MEP, Klaro Dobrev and supporters of the Social-Liberal Democratic Coalition

00:26 marched through the crowd of supporters of Peter Mojar, causing some tension.

00:32 Some of them did not lay down their flags, despite the organiser's request.

00:37 Hungary's state broadcaster set in advance the topics of the discussion for the 11 lead

00:43 candidates.

00:44 Since the Fidesz took power in 2010, there has been no parliamentary debate on the public

00:51 television.

00:52 Now, the leaders of the LPR got 8 minutes each to convince the voters.

01:00 During the debate, MEP candidate for ruling party Fidesz, Tamás Deutsch, criticised left-wing

01:07 MEPs for voting to send weapons to Ukraine.

01:11 Leftist alliance Parbazet list leader, Klara Dobrev, took aim at Prime Minister Viktor

01:17 Orbán, calling him the shame of Europe and accusing him of being sidelined whenever the

01:23 bloc has to take important decisions.

01:26 Respect and Freedom Party lead candidate, Peter Mojar, rejected accusations from Fidesz

01:32 that the opposition is pro-war.

01:34 Ana Donat, the lead Momentum Party candidate, said that defending the rule of law means

01:39 defending real sovereignty and personal freedoms.

01:42 Thank you.