Human Rights Watch has called on Hungary’s incoming government to take swift action to restore fundamental rights, strengthen democratic institutions, and reverse years of democratic backsliding. The organization stressed that early steps—such as ending rule by decree, restoring judicial independence, and repealing restrictive laws—would signal a clear break from past governance.
According to Lydia Gall, the new leadership has a critical opportunity to address Hungary’s ongoing rights crisis and rebuild democratic safeguards. Over the past 16 years, the previous government led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz-KDNP coalition has been accused of concentrating power in the executive branch, weakening judicial independence, and undermining oversight institutions.
Human Rights Watch highlighted several urgent reforms, including suspending the Sovereignty Protection Office, an entity established in 2023 with broad powers to investigate journalists, civil society groups, and academics receiving foreign funding. The office has been criticized for targeting organizations such as Transparency International Hungary and the independent outlet Atlatszo. The group also urged the government to permanently withdraw proposed legislation that would further expand oversight of civil society and media organizations.
Another key concern is Hungary’s prolonged use of emergency powers, which has allowed authorities to govern by decree since 2020 with limited parliamentary oversight. Human Rights Watch called for the immediate termination of these emergency regimes and a review of laws adopted under them, warning that such practices undermine the separation of powers and judicial independence.
The organization also raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of assembly, particularly laws introduced in 2025 that have been used to ban Pride events and limit expression related to sexual orientation and gender identity. It urged lawmakers to amend the assembly law to ensure peaceful protests can take place without discrimination and to drop charges against individuals linked to Pride events, including Gergely Karácsony and Géza Buzás-Hábel.
Human Rights Watch further called for an end to investigations into journalists such as Szabolcs Panyi, which it said risk undermining media freedom. It also urged authorities to halt legal actions against religious leaders like Gábor Iványi and restore the legal status of his church, previously stripped under a controversial 2011 law despite a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.
In addition, the group recommended reforms to improve media pluralism, including ensuring the independence of regulatory bodies and addressing the concentration of media ownership. It also urged Hungary to comply with the European Media Freedom Act and meet rule-of-law conditions set by the European Commission to unlock frozen European Union funds.
Human Rights Watch also called for broader commitments to international accountability, including joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and reversing Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. It emphasized the need to repeal discriminatory laws affecting LGBT people, restore access to asylum procedures, and improve protections for women and girls, including by ratifying the Istanbul Convention.
The organization concluded that the new government’s commitment to rebuilding democracy will be judged by its early actions. Ending rule by decree, dismantling institutions used to intimidate critics, safeguarding freedom of assembly, and ensuring accountability for human rights violations would demonstrate a genuine effort to restore the rule of law in Hungary.
