This past Sunday, the Hungarian people went to the polls and they spoke. We must all respect their decisions. After years of leadership, Prime Minister Viktor Orban will no longer continue at the helm of the country and he will go back to the leader of the opposition.
For generations to come, Orban will be remembered by the Jewish community as a true friend, a defender, and one of our strongest supporters in a time of rising uncertainty and unprecedented violence against Jews in Europe.
At a time when Jewish communities across the globe are facing a disturbing resurgence of antisemitism, Hungary stands out as a nation in the middle of Europe where Jewish life is thriving.
Under Orban’s leadership, Hungary became one of the safest places in the world for Jewish life outside of the United States and Israel. That is not a talking point. It is a lived experience. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
Safety for European Jews
Across Western Europe, Jewish families are increasingly forced to make calculations that should have been buried in history. Can children wear a Star of David necklace in public? Is it safe to attend synagogue without armed guards? Should Jewish schools operate behind fortified walls? From Paris to Berlin to London, the answer is too often uncertainty, or worse, fear.
Hungary is a much different story. Walk through the streets of Budapest’s historic Jewish Quarter, and you will see something remarkable: Jewish life thriving in the open. Synagogues are not hidden. Kosher restaurants are not discreet. Jewish identity is not something to be concealed. It is visible, vibrant, and secure. This did not happen by accident.
Orban’s government made a deliberate decision to confront antisemitism head-on while rejecting the policies that have fueled insecurity elsewhere in Europe. Hungary implemented a zero-tolerance approach toward antisemitic violence and hate crimes. Law enforcement treated threats against Jewish citizens seriously, and the government consistently backed that stance with action, not just words.
Equally important is what Hungary chose not to do.
While much of Western Europe embraced mass migration policies without adequate safeguards, Hungary took a different path.
Orban understood early on that importing large numbers of individuals from regions where antisemitism is deeply ingrained carried real risks for Jewish communities. His government’s firm stance on border security was not rooted in hostility, as critics often claim, but in a responsibility to protect Hungarian citizens, including its Jewish population.
The growth of Hungarian Jewry
The results speak for themselves. Hungarian Jews are not fleeing anywhere. They are building and growing. Jewish cultural institutions expanded. Synagogues were restored. Community life grew. In a world where many Jewish communities are shrinking or retreating inward, Hungary became a rare case of confidence and continuity, and a sense of enormous pride for me when I would tell my Jewish friends about Jewish life in Hungary.
Of course, Orban was no stranger to criticism. International media outlets and political opponents spent years labeling him everything from illiberal to authoritarian. But on the question that matters most to Jewish families, safety, the contrast between Hungary and much of Europe is stark.
In countries where leaders speak passionately about tolerance and diversity, Jewish citizens often feel the least protected. In Hungary, where the government unapologetically prioritized national security and cultural stability, Jewish communities reported feeling among the safest in Europe.
Orban also took meaningful steps to strengthen Hungary’s relationship with Israel, further reinforcing his government’s commitment to the Jewish people. Diplomatic ties grew stronger. Cooperation deepened. And Hungary consistently stood with Israel in international forums when others wavered.
This alignment was not incidental. It reflected a broader worldview that saw the security of Jewish communities as non-negotiable.
None of this means Hungary is perfect. No country is. But in an era when antisemitism is rising across continents, Hungary offers something increasingly rare: a model that is working.
If governments are serious about protecting Jewish citizens, they must be willing to move beyond statements and take responsibility for outcomes. They must enforce laws, secure borders, and confront hate without hesitation or political calculation.
In today’s world, where Jewish children are once again being told to hide who they are, leadership is measured by results, not rhetoric. Viktor Orban understood that. He acted on it.
And because of that, Hungary became something rare: a place where Jewish life is not lived in fear. This will be one of his many legacies.
Viktor, you’ve been an unapologetic protector and supporter of the Jewish people for your entire life. I’ve seen the smile on your face when you walk into a synagogue and put on your black hat. I know it’s real and I know it’s genuine. Köszönöm szépen, Viktor. I will make sure the Jewish people never forget what you did for our people in Europe.
The writer is the CEO of Henry Public Relations, co-founder of Red Presswire, and an avid supporter of Hungary. He can be reached at bleib@henrypr.com