Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar described the 1956 revolution as “possibly the most important revolution of the 20th century” in a major speech marking its 70th anniversary in Budapest on Friday. Addressing crowds in Kossuth Square outside Parliament, Magyar paid tribute to the heroes who resisted Soviet oppression, reaffirmed Hungary’s place in a free and democratic Europe, and pledged to build a country where political differences would no longer divide the nation.
The prime minister delivered his address on 23 October 2026, exactly 70 years after the outbreak of the anti-communist uprising and 37 years after the proclamation of the Hungarian Republic in 1989.
According to the Hungarian news agency MTI, Magyar said that the revolutionaries of 1956 had changed the course of history despite ultimately being overwhelmed by Soviet military force.
The 1956 revolution that shook the world
“On October 23, 1956, a few hundred thousand Hungarians and the millions joining them wrote world history,” Magyar declared.
He described the revolution’s 13 days as a unique period in Hungarian history, when ordinary people confronted one of the world’s most powerful military forces and demanded national independence.
“In those 13 glorious days, the Hungarian people said, shouted, screamed as one: Russkies go home!” he recalled, referring to the famous revolutionary slogan demanding the withdrawal of Soviet troops.
For international readers, the 1956 Hungarian Revolution began with student demonstrations in Budapest that developed into a nationwide uprising against communist dictatorship and Soviet control. Soviet forces launched a massive military intervention on 4 November, crushing the resistance. Thousands were killed, many more suffered reprisals, and approximately 200,000 Hungarians fled the country.
Magyar argued that although the revolution was defeated militarily, its political and moral significance endured.
He said Hungarians had driven “the first and perhaps most important nail into the coffin of communism”, exposing the contradiction between the regime’s promises of freedom and its violent suppression of popular demands.
The prime minister also recalled the executions of former Prime Minister Imre Nagy, Defence Minister Pál Maléter and journalist Miklós Gimes in June 1958, presenting their sacrifices as symbols of the struggle for an independent and democratic Hungary.
Magyar: No leader’s power can outweigh Hungary’s freedom
One of the strongest political messages of Magyar’s speech concerned the relationship between national sovereignty and foreign influence.
He insisted that every Hungarian leader must recognise that remaining in power can never be more important than protecting the country’s freedom.
“No Hungarian leader may back-seat the blood sacrifice of 1956 for the sake of momentary economic bargains or dubious alliances,” he warned.
“Anyone who makes excuses for an aggressor after 1956, or subordinates the nation to foreign imperial interests, has understood nothing of the message of 1956.”
Magyar argued that the uprising demonstrated that a government might preserve its authority temporarily through foreign support, but could never permanently suppress the Hungarian people’s desire for freedom.
His remarks connected the historical experience of Soviet domination with broader questions about sovereignty, international alliances and the responsibilities of political leaders today.
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Hungary belongs to a free and democratic Europe
Magyar also used the anniversary to underline Hungary’s European identity, rejecting the idea that the country should continually balance between East and West.
He argued that Hungarians had already made their choice in 1956: they wanted to belong to a free and democratic Europe.
According to the prime minister, Hungary should be a reliable partner that participates confidently in international cooperation rather than isolating itself through confrontation.
Hungarians wanted to be allies who could sit at the common table with their heads held high, he said, “not adventurers isolating themselves through blackmail and go-it-alone paths”.
He presented a strong, independent and forward-looking Hungary as one capable of meeting emerging challenges through knowledge, courage and cooperation.
The European message was particularly significant given the change of government following the April 2026 election and the renewed emphasis on rebuilding Hungary’s relationships with its European partners.
The legacy of 1956 belongs to every Hungarian
Another central theme was the need to overcome political divisions within Hungarian society.
Magyar rejected the notion that national symbols, patriotic identity or the memory of the revolution could belong exclusively to any single political movement.
“For long years, we were told the lie that the nation and everything national can belong to only one side,” he said.
He criticised the practice of treating fellow citizens with different political opinions as enemies, arguing that the Hungarian flag, national coat of arms, tricolour cockade and historical memory of 1956 belonged to everyone.
The prime minister recalled the diverse backgrounds of those who participated in the revolution, including students, workers, intellectuals, soldiers and religious figures.
He named several prominent participants and victims, among them Ilona Tóth, István Angyal, Mária Wittner, István Bibó and Cardinal József Mindszenty.
Their differences, Magyar argued, demonstrated that the revolution had united people across ideological and social boundaries.
He called on Hungarians to make room for people who think differently and warned against dividing citizens into supposedly worthy and unworthy members of the nation.
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From the sacrifice of 1956 to the responsibilities of government
Magyar pledged that his government would carry forward the revolution’s legacy not only through remembrance but also through concrete principles of governance.
He argued that the freedom demanded in 1956 also included the dignity of work, economic security and the possibility of planning a future at home.
“We carry this legacy forward when we build a country where freedom comes with a decent livelihood, respect and opportunity,” he said.
The prime minister promised to regard government as a public service rather than a means of exercising power over citizens.
He also pledged that public money would once again be treated as the community’s property, that the law would apply equally to everyone and that political leadership would be based on accountability.
Magyar said his Tisza government would not create new enemies or deepen divisions between Hungarians.
Instead, he described its responsibility as turning political freedom into security, dignity and opportunity for every citizen.
These statements were commitments outlined in his anniversary address rather than announcements of specific new legislative measures.
The light of 1956 must guide future generations
Towards the end of his speech, Magyar described the revolution as a “fixed star shining beyond the decades of the dictatorship”.
He said its example had reached beyond Budapest, throughout Hungary and across the Iron Curtain, inspiring people who had previously known little about the country.
The memory of the revolution, he argued, continued to pass from one generation to another, carrying lessons about courage, solidarity and the defence of freedom.
Magyar also thanked the countries that welcomed Hungarians fleeing persecution after the Soviet crackdown, expressing gratitude for their solidarity and for the presence of foreign representatives at the anniversary commemorations.
The prime minister concluded by stressing that freedom was not simply the achievement of a historical moment, but a responsibility requiring constant attention.
“Freedom is not the celebration of a single day but responsibility to be shouldered every day,” he said.
His speech brought together remembrance of the victims of Soviet repression and a vision of contemporary Hungary built around democracy, national unity and European cooperation.
For Magyar, the most important tribute to the revolutionaries of 1956 was not merely to honour their memory, but to ensure that their struggle continued to shape the country’s future.
“It would be good to leave our children a country they can be proud of, a country we can be proud of,” he concluded.
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