Human Rights Watch Outlines Path to Democratic Recovery for Hungary Following 16 Years of Rights Erosion

In a comprehensive report released on April 14, 2026, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a direct appeal to Hungary’s incoming government, urging immediate and decisive action to reverse over a decade and a half of democratic backsliding. The international monitoring group asserts that the new administration must prioritize the restoration of fundamental rights, the dismantling of abusive legislative frameworks, and the fortification of weakened democratic institutions. According to the organization, the first weeks of the new term represent a critical window to demonstrate a commitment to European Union (EU) values and international legal obligations, effectively signaling a break from the policies of the previous Fidesz-KDNP-led administration under Viktor Orbán.

The transition comes after a 16-year period during which the executive branch systematically concentrated power, weakened the independence of the judiciary, and undermined the efficacy of oversight bodies. HRW emphasizes that for Hungary to regain its standing within the international community and release billions of euros in frozen EU funds, the new leadership must immediately end the long-standing practice of "rule by decree" and repeal laws specifically designed to stifle dissent and target marginalized groups.

The Mandate for Reform: Immediate Legislative Priorities

The incoming government faces an extensive legislative agenda to align Hungary with the rule of law standards expected of an EU member state. At the top of this list is the immediate suspension and eventual repeal of the Sovereignty Protection Office. Established in 2023, this office was granted broad, vaguely defined powers to investigate individuals and organizations receiving foreign funding. HRW notes that the office has been used as a political tool to harass journalists, academics, and civil society organizations, such as Transparency International Hungary and the investigative news outlet Atlatszo, by portraying them as threats to national sovereignty.

Furthermore, HRW calls for the permanent removal of the proposed Transparency of Public Life bill. This legislation, if enacted, would expand the powers of the Sovereignty Protection Office, allowing it to impose intrusive financial oversight and sanctions on media organizations and NGOs. Dismantling these structures is seen as a prerequisite for restoring a healthy civic space where independent voices can operate without fear of state-sponsored retaliation.

Another urgent priority is the termination of the "state of emergency" regimes that have been in place since 2020. Initially introduced to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and later extended by citing the war in Ukraine and mass migration, these regimes allowed the executive to bypass parliamentary debate and implement sweeping measures across taxation, economic policy, and public administration. HRW argues that these dual states of emergency are no longer justifiable, as Hungary is neither a combatant in the Ukraine conflict nor currently facing an unmanageable influx of migrants.

Restoring Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law

The erosion of judicial independence has been a central pillar of Hungary’s rights crisis. HRW highlights a specific instance from February 2026, where the government adopted Decree 15/2026, ordering courts to terminate lawsuits filed by municipalities against a central government "solidarity contribution" tax. By declaring the tax collection a "technical process" exempt from judicial review, the executive directly interfered with ongoing court proceedings.

To rectify these breaches, the new government is urged to:

1. Terminate all ongoing emergency regimes and review legislation adopted under those powers.
2. Meet the specific "rule of law milestones" set by the European Commission.
3. Reform the appointment processes for the judiciary to ensure they are free from political interference.
4. Join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to ensure transparent oversight of EU funds.
5. Reverse Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A Chronology of Democratic Backsliding (2010–2026)

To understand the scale of the task ahead, HRW provided a timeline of the legislative and constitutional changes that defined the previous era:

• 2010–2011: The Fidesz-led government adopts a new Fundamental Law, introducing provisions that limit the powers of the Constitutional Court and define the "life of the fetus" from conception.
• 2016: A "state of crisis due to mass migration" is declared, granting police expanded powers; this state of crisis has been renewed annually for a decade.
• 2018: The government creates the Central European Press and Media Foundation (KESMA), merging over 470 pro-government media outlets and exempting the merger from competition review.
• 2020: The government seizes "unlimited power" via the Coronavirus Protection Act. In the same year, legal gender recognition for transgender people is banned.
• 2021: The "Anti-LGBT Law" is passed, prohibiting the depiction of homosexuality or gender reassignment to minors in media and education.
• 2023: The Sovereignty Protection Act is passed, establishing an office to investigate "foreign influence" in public life.
• 2024: The European Court of Justice begins imposing a daily fine of €1 million on Hungary for non-compliance with EU asylum laws.
• 2025: Amendments to the Assembly Law allow the government to ban Pride marches under the guise of "child protection."
• 2026: Criminal charges are brought against Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony and other activists for organizing peaceful assemblies.

Media Freedom and the Dismantling of State Propaganda

One of the most significant challenges for the incoming government will be the deconstruction of a media landscape where approximately 80 percent of outlets are directly or indirectly controlled by the state or its allies. HRW reports that independent media have been systematically deprived of state advertising revenue, which was instead funneled into pro-government conglomerates to distort the market.

The new administration must reform the National Media and Infocommunications Authority and the Media Council. Currently, these bodies are staffed by loyalists appointed during the previous government’s two-thirds parliamentary majority. HRW recommends a transparent, multi-party appointment process to ensure these regulators serve the public interest rather than a specific political agenda. Additionally, the government must drop retaliatory investigations into journalists, such as Szabolcs Panyi, whose reporting on public interest issues made him a target of state surveillance and legal harassment.

Human Rights and Marginalized Groups

The report places heavy emphasis on the need to repeal discriminatory legislation targeting the LGBT community and women. In 2025, constitutional amendments elevated "child protection" to a status that allowed the state to arbitrarily curtail freedom of assembly. This led to the banning of the June Budapest Pride and the October Pécs Pride. HRW demands that all criminal charges against organizers, including Mayor Karácsony and Géza Buzás-Hábel, be dropped immediately.

Regarding women’s rights, HRW calls for the repeal of the 2022 "heartbeat decree," which forces women seeking abortions to listen to fetal cardiac activity. The organization also urges the new government to:

• Make emergency contraception available over the counter, in line with 2015 EU recommendations.
• Ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women.
• Restore the official church status of the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship, led by Pastor Gábor Iványi, following years of administrative harassment and a 2014 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that the state’s actions were unlawful.

Migration and International Accountability

The incoming government is also tasked with overhauling Hungary’s asylum system, which has been characterized by "pushbacks" and the criminalization of humanitarian aid. Current laws require asylum seekers to submit "statements of intent" at embassies in Belgrade or Kyiv, a process that effectively blocks access to protection on Hungarian territory.

HRW notes that the Court of Justice of the European Union has already found these practices in breach of the Asylum Procedures Directive. By halting unlawful pushbacks and restoring access to fair asylum procedures, the new government can end the mounting daily fines and demonstrate its return to the fold of international humanitarian law.

Analysis of Broader Implications

The actions taken by the new Hungarian government in its first 100 days will have profound implications for the stability of the European Union. For years, Hungary served as a template for "illiberal democracy," influencing similar movements across the continent. A successful restoration of the rule of law in Budapest would not only secure the nation’s economic future by unlocking EU Recovery and Resilience Facility funds but also provide a roadmap for other nations struggling with democratic erosion.

"The test of whether Hungary’s new government intends to rebuild respect for rights will be the concrete steps it takes in the first weeks," said Lydia Gall, senior Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "Ending rule by decree and dismantling the institutions used to intimidate critics would show that Hungary is serious about rebuilding a rights-based democratic governance."

As the world watches the transition, the focus remains on whether the new leadership has the political will to dismantle a "captured state" and rebuild the checks and balances necessary for a functioning democracy. The HRW report serves as both a warning and a guide, suggesting that while the damage of the last 16 years is deep, it is not irreversible.