On Monday at least 30,000 and as many as 70,000 people, gathered outside the neo-Renaissance opera house in Budapest in one of the biggest protests in Hungary in years. They were voicing their anger at the radical new constitution, which was being toasted inside at a gala hosted by Orbán.
What many people believe, however, is that if the Hungarian forint keeps plunging to record lows and Orbán refuses to make policy concessions in return for a much-needed international credit line, things could get nasty.
Some people predict "hunger revolts" from the poorest Hungarians, particularly the disadvantaged rural Roma, if Hungary rejects outside help and the government continues to marginalise the most vulnerable members of society.
While ordinary Hungarians worry most about what will happen to that mortgage they took out in Swiss francs, for many foreign observers the new constitution is the source of most anguish. It came into effect on 1 January, and, combined with at least 350 laws that have been rushed through during Fidesz's 20 months in power
Some of the world's most powerful people and institutions have also had enough. On Thursday, a spokesman for the European Union confirmed that without a promise from Hungary that some laws would be changed or repealed, neither the EU nor the International Monetary Fund would even discuss giving it the multibillion-euro bailout even Orbán knows it needs
The IMF broke off talks before Christmas when the Hungarians refused to amend a law to the IMF's satisfaction. The law allowed the government to appoint its own deputy to the central bank's board as well as requiring the board to submit its agenda to the government.
Economists believe Orbán has no choice but to promise to repeal laws in return for the €15-50bn he needs to borrow to repay an earlier loan the IMF granted last time the country was bailed out, in 2008. The Hungarian government is now having enormous problems borrowing money after two ratings agencies declared its bonds to be "trash" at the end of last year.
Sources:
The Guardian
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