Bloomberg
Street protests against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban were held for a fourth day in a week, with opposition parties inspired by France’s Yellow Vest movement uniting in their hostility to laws allowing for more overtime and greater government control of the judiciary.
Thousands rallied in Budapest on Sunday for a demonstration called “Merry Christmas, Mr. Prime Minister,†a mocking reference to the four-term leader.
Last week, Orban pushed through parliament measures designed to make it easier for employers to demand more overtime from their workers and which create a top court under government oversight.
The proposals highlight the growing centralisation of power under Orban, who won a third consecutive election in April and whose government is undergoing a European Union probe over accusations that it’s undermining the rule of law.
Labour unions joined opposition parties of all stripes on Heroes’ Square. The demonstrators were later expected to head for an area near parliament, where police used tear gas on three nights last week to prevent protesters from storming the assembly.