Hungary after the election: hope or hazard for workers?

In April 2026, thousands celebrated the surprisingly decisive election victory of Péter Magyar and the end of Viktor Orbán’s long tenure in government. What does this shift of power in Budapest mean for trade unions and workers?

During Orbán’s time in office, the room for manoeuvre available to trade unions was progressively narrowed: the legal framework for union organising was tightened, workplace co-determination came under pressure, and protective standards in labour law were dismantled. At the same time, Péter Magyar and his TISZA party also stand for a business- and enterprise-friendly agenda, and barely took up trade union concerns during the campaign. What prospects does this leave for employees and the organisations that represent them?

Károly György — Vice-President of the Central European Democracy Forum and a long-standing trade unionist with the Hungarian union MASZSZ — will discuss these questions.

With a welcome address by Wolfgang Katzian, President of the ÖGB and of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Moderation: Laura Šukarov-Eischer, policy officer in the Department for Europe, Multinational Companies and International Relations at GPA.

The event is organised by GPA in cooperation with CEDF.