PHOTOS: Huge demonstration held in Budapest

The students organisation dubbed United Student Front and other organisations staged a demonstration against the new law on teachers’ career paths on Friday evening.

The protesters gathered at Margaret Bridge and moved to Kossuth Lajos Square near Parliament where a stage had been set up and they placed the flag of the teachers’ trade union PDSZ there. Several opposition politicians and activists joined the protest, including Bence Tordai of Párbeszéd, Ágnes Kunhalmi of the Socialists, independent MP Ákos Hadházy and student activist Lili Pankotai. Here are Hadházy’s photos:

And Ágnes Kunhalmi’s:

Activist of the Tanítanék (I want to teach) movement Katalin Törley said they had experienced “oppression” and “revenge by way of the law on teachers”. Protests held in the past procuded hardly any results, except the joining of forces between teachers, students and parents and the international attention attracted, she added.

PDSZ national board member Zoltán Szendrei announced at the event that he would leave the teaching profession as a result of the low wages and demanded wage increase and the reduction of work burdens for those that remain teachers. He called for increased budget allocation on education and an independent ministry run by a competent person. At the end of the protest, the participants marched to the Chain Bridge to join a climate protection protest organised by the Fridays for Future movement.

Read also:

Minister hopes for fundamental changes in teachers’ wages

The head of the Prime Minister’s Office expressed hope on Friday that teachers’ wages will undergo radical changes in the next 18 months or two years. Gergely Gulyás told a year-opening event of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in Szekszard, in southern Hungary, that teachers should receive wages that reflect the importance of their work.

“I think we are closer to this than anybody would think and a breakthrough may occur within months, resulting in significant wage increases,” he said. Over the past decade, a record number of schools were revamped, the number of places in creches increased to 62,000, and many kindergartens underwent a revamp, he said.

6 Comments

  1. These teacher and student protests are the start of what will likely become a grassroots general protest movement against the Fidesz government. Historically it is young people that start protest movements against regimes and it is completely ironic that the party in power that they despise is “Fidesz” which itself was a youth movement against the existing authoritarian socialist regime at the time. Fidesz has now morphed into a new authoritarian neo-fascist regime. This happens frequently in history. The people overthrowing the oppressors eventually become the new oppressors as they subvert democracy and use government for self-enrichment. People are increasingly dissatisfied with the government and feel that it does not represent their interests. “A breakthrough may occur within months” for teachers according to the Orban’s spokesperson. I don’t think anyone is going to take that statement seriously at all.

  2. How much are the protesters paid for creating a fuss? Where does the money come from? People should realize this is a farce.

    When teachers’ unions get too strong education suffers. In US Public schools, 60%+ of the grade 3 children cannot pass required reading and mass levels: yet the US spends more money on education that most countries. All teachers want to teach is gender studies and CRT, none of these subjects prepare a student for the labor market.

  3. Concur – Larry.
    Orban / Fidesz – time in Government, that comes, muchly back to lack of PRIORITIZATION – to Invest into Education, the tolerance / patience educators have exhibited, over vastness of his time as Prime Minister – Victor Orban – the multi-tude of Broken promises over time from Orban to Educators, this momentum, of OBJECTION to the Orban Government must be elevated increased orderly.
    Democracy gives FULL support for orderly population OBJECTIONS.
    We know in the case of REJECTION, the lack of Responsibility – Respect afforded to Educators / Education in Hungary, we know that Orban / Fidesz, they are the AGGRESSORS.
    Gergely Gulyus – Head of the Prime Ministers Office – talks DEEPLY and Fabricates Facts by statements, that AGAIN this Orban Government, have not fulfilled and AGAIN will not have the capacity, in the immediate future, through lack of Funding, the Orban Government being Financially “on it’s knees” – to undertake complete – that comes out the mouth of Gergely Gulyus.
    Propaganda – its constant “aggressive” use by the Orban Government, practiced again by Gergely Gulyus – its DEPLORABLE and Wrongful.
    Hungary – the Youth of Hungary in there growing thousands that our FUTURE lies MUCH in there Hands – they know the PROPAGANDA of Orban and his Ministry, and continue to RIGHTFUL – by orderly protests and demonstrations EXPLODE the humongous Failings of the Orban Government to-wards EDUCATION.
    Educators – take a Vow when they decide the MAJOR role they Play, the RESONSIBILITIES they “vow” to undertake in Education.
    Orban has treated Education / Educators – with sustained on-going DISRESPECT.
    Appalling.

  4. No mention of how education is doing – only it wants more money for teachers- how does compare to similar systems. Public Schools in the US are some of the worst in world – highest paid in the world run by teachers unions that includes the curriculm. They are a major force in the Biden goverment. They come in number 3 just after Soros funding. A school board president can make 250k $ and a failing school district. The more pay for teachers stickers all over the city shows the level of people you are dealing with.

  5. Validness in criticism’s written by commentators.
    Facts of Orbans Government FAILINGS in Investment into into Education – have Validness.
    The American over-all situation – Appalling.
    Its a KNOWN fact, that WORSENS.
    My major CONCERN – in Hungary, besides all the MASSIVE problems that actually exist, that have on a continuously basics been “Feed” enlarged by the Orban Governments FAILED responsibility over 14 years in office, to Education, the billions of Forints needed to Invest that brings Hungary, up to standards throughout the broadsheet Education system, inclusive of Educators wages, to modern day standards facilities & “other.”
    Hungarians – Educators, Families and Students – it must NEVER happen, be ALLOWED to happen, like it does under Orban WRONGFULLY – that we have Orban in control of the media, in control of the Judiciary, and ability to Rule by Decree – the word EDUCATION – its CONTROL.
    This must NEVER be, as long as he Victor Orban and his Government are in POWER.

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