Latest news in Hungary - 22 Sep 2025

Fidesz Candidate Wins VIII District By-Election: Kozma Lajos from Fidesz-KDNP secured the by-election in Budapest's VIII district with 52.27% of the votes, defeating MKKP's Dr. András Balázs. The election followed a court ruling declaring the previous representative, László Kecskeméti, unworthy of the position after controversies regarding his refusal to vacate a municipal apartment, leading to a dramatic move-out where he took doors and furniture with him. Read more here

Traffic Disruptions Continue at Eastern Railway Station: Following renovation work, the Eastern Railway Station's operations are still hampered by signaling issues, resulting in changes to several domestic and international train services on Monday, including the Scarbantia and EuroCity routes. Passengers are advised to check schedules and anticipate delays as MÁV continues troubleshooting. Read more here

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Public Desire for Orbán-Magyar Debate: A recent poll reveals that 56% of Hungarians favor a public debate between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and opposition leader Péter Magyar, with support peaking among younger voters at 72%. The survey, conducted from August 27-31, also showed significant interest in urban areas, particularly in Budapest, where 73% would like to see the debate happen. Read more here

Budapest Seeks Trademark for "Grand Budapest": The city of Budapest has submitted a trademark application for "Grand Budapest" in an effort to secure the name for the controversial mini-Dubai project in Rakosrendező. Originally attempted by a developer, the name was rejected after a scandal; now the city's nonprofit expects to use it for a wider range of products and services. Read more here

Massive Protest Against Government Propaganda in Budapest: Thousands gathered at Heroes’ Square to protest state-funded propaganda campaigns, with organizers decrying the over 257 billion forints spent on divisive messaging over the past eight years. The Loupe Theatre Troupe emphasized the need for positive messages and highlighted the urgent issues in healthcare and child protection that require funding instead. Read more here

Interest Rates Drop on Personal Loans: Several Hungarian banks are now offering personal loans with interest rates below 10%, a significant shift from last year when no banks provided such options for loans up to 3 million forints. OTP has cut rates by up to 2%, while Provident temporarily offers loans up to 400,000 forints at 9.99%. This is a favorable time for refinancing expensive loans with high interest rates exceeding 30%. Read more here

Community Search for Missing Kaszás Nikolett: A large-scale community search for 27-year-old Kaszás Nikolett, missing since September 7, will take place on September 28 in Pilis, organized by various civil guard groups and featuring dogs, drones, and more. The event encourages public participation and aims to systematically cover the area where she was last seen. Read more here

Decline in Construction Sector Profits: The construction industry in Hungary sees a downturn for the first time in eight years, with combined profits of the 500 largest companies dropping by 5% to 606 billion forints, despite a revenue increase due to government-affiliated companies. Notably, the largest 15 NER-affiliated firms accounted for nearly a third of the sector's revenue, indicating their dominance even as EU funds dwindle. Read more here

Tax Violations Detected at Lake Balaton and Lake Velence: The National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) found tax violations in 20% of over 2,500 inspections conducted between June 10 and August 31, leading to fines exceeding 80 million forints. The inspections aimed to improve tax compliance among traders and service providers, with serious violators facing follow-up audits. Read more here

Controversy at Pázmány Péter Catholic University: Nándor Birher, the dean of the Faculty of Humanities, clarified that three psychology educators were not disciplined for LGBTQ issues but for ethical misconduct after their article challenged Catholic teachings. He emphasized that while attending mass is encouraged, it is not mandatory, asserting that educators must align with Catholic values and teachings. Read more here

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