Budapest, 23 October 2026
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa addressed Hungary’s National Assembly on the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution. Von der Leyen praised Hungary’s democratic renewal, anti-corruption reforms and restored access to EU funding, while Costa emphasised European unity, national sovereignty and the economic benefits of EU membership.
Key takeaways
- Legacy of the 1956 Revolution: Both presidents commemorated the Hungarian uprising against Soviet rule as a defining moment in Europe’s struggle for freedom and democracy. Von der Leyen recalled the violent repression, executions and approximately 200,000 people driven into exile. Costa connected the revolution to Hungary’s historic struggles for independence in 1848 and 1989.
- Hungary’s democratic renewal: Von der Leyen described Hungary’s parliamentary elections six months earlier as a turning point following years of democratic backsliding, political division and declining public trust. She highlighted voter turnout of approximately 80%, the highest since the end of communist rule, as evidence of renewed democratic participation.
- Rule of law and anti-corruption reforms: Von der Leyen praised Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government for strengthening anti-fraud and anti-corruption legislation, increasing transparency in public spending and taking steps to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). She presented these reforms as central to rebuilding trust between Hungary and EU institutions.
- Restoration of European funding: Von der Leyen announced that European funding for Hungary had resumed following the government’s reforms. She confirmed restored access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus, with further funding expected before year-end under NextGenerationEU and programmes linked to academic freedom.
- EU integration and economic development: Costa highlighted Hungary’s economic transformation since joining the EU in 2004. He stated that the Hungarian economy had nearly tripled in size and average salaries had increased fivefold during 22 years of membership, illustrating the economic benefits of European integration.
- Hungary’s dependence on the Single Market: Costa underlined Hungary’s close integration into the EU economy, noting that almost 80% of Hungarian exports go to EU countries, while nearly 70% of imports originate within the Union. He presented these figures as evidence of the importance of European economic integration for Hungary’s prosperity.
- Democracy and economic competitiveness: Costa argued that sustainable economic growth depends on strong democratic institutions, good governance, freedom of expression and academic freedom. These conditions, he stressed, create the predictability and public confidence necessary for investment, innovation and employment.
- National sovereignty and European unity: Costa rejected the notion that European integration weakens national identities. He argued that cooperation on competitiveness, strategic autonomy, defence and border protection strengthens individual Member States while preserving their cultural and historical diversity.
- Public support for EU membership: Costa cited official figures indicating that 80% of Hungarians trust the European Union as a source of stability and consider membership highly beneficial. He linked this public confidence to the EU’s contribution to security, prosperity and international influence.
- European solidarity and future challenges: Both presidents called for continued European unity in the face of geopolitical threats and democratic challenges. Von der Leyen stressed that democratic progress is never irreversible and must be defended by each generation. Costa emphasised the importance of strengthening European defence, strategic autonomy and shared institutions while respecting national sovereignty.
E-summary by ChatGPT, prompted by Insight EU, based on the speeches below.
Speech by President von der Leyen to the Hungarian National Assembly on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956
Budapest, 23 October 2026
“Check against delivery”
Dear Honourable Speaker Forsthoffer,
Dear President Baka,
Dear Prime Minister Magyar,
Dear President Costa,
Dear Presidents,
Dear Prime Ministers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Honourable Members,
70 years ago, on a bright, sunny afternoon, the young people of Hungary came together and changed the course of history. They rose, with peaceful intent, moral clarity, and astonishing bravery, to fight for freedom, for democracy, and for Europe. The reprisals were swift, and bloody. The Soviets sent tanks and troops against workers and students. But by the example of their courage, the martyrs of 1956 inspired hope. As Václav Havel once said: ‘Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.’ That is what the world found in the pictures of Stalin’s statue being toppled. The news of medical students tending the wounded. The voices of free Hungary broadcasting on the radio until the very end.
In those images, not for the first time, nor the last, Europe and the world looked to Hungary, and found hope. And let us ask ourselves, why did the Soviets act so brutally? With merciless repression, taking countless innocent lives. The answer is simple – they were afraid. Afraid of the people in whose names they claimed to act. Afraid that if the people of Hungary prevailed, the desire for democracy would spread. And afraid because they knew that while repression can survive only through more repression, freedom is a fire that catches.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Why do we gather to mark anniversaries like today’s? We gather to grieve – for the tens of thousands of Hungarians killed or wounded. We gather in memory of those arrested, imprisoned, and executed in cold blood, some as young as 18. We gather to mourn the exiles, all 200 000 of them, who fled their homes – most never to return. But above all, we gather to say: we must never take their sacrifice in vain. The people of Hungary fought, against impossible odds, for the values of freedom, democracy, and justice that define our vision of Europe today. To vote freely. To speak and think freely. To live freely. To be governed without corruption. Those were not abstract demands for the young people who marched. They were a cause for which they gave their lives. Their memory reminds us that the triumph of democracy is not inevitable. History is not a straight road. Every generation must fight to renew our freedoms and to re-energise our democracy. That is the moral heart of this anniversary. That is the lesson we must always remember. And standing here today, I do not need to remind you of what it means to revive democracy.
Six months ago the people of Hungary voted for a new chapter. To turn the page on years of division, of trust eroded, freedoms rolled back, prosperity undermined. Eight in every ten Hungarians used their vote. Many for the first time. This was the single largest turnout since the end of Communist rule. That night people came together on the streets. Strangers hugged strangers. Not in a staged rally but a spontaneous release of joy – creative, hopeful, and real. And here on the banks of the Danube, where 70 years ago people marched and died, to create democracy in Hungary – that night, people danced and celebrated reviving democracy in Hungary. And this country once more sent to the world a message of hope. That democratic backsliding can be reversed. That disinformation and fearmongering can be defeated. That the future of democracy is in the hands of the people. And together, democracy will prevail.
So it is good to return to Hungary today, a country renewed. I personally feel very at home here. And I bring a simple message today. We are one family. Your story is our European story. Your future is our European future. You have placed your trust and your faith once more in our Union. And we are honouring that trust.
Prime Minister, dear Péter,
When we met just after the election, we agreed a common path forward. Hungary would fight corruption and restore the rule of law. And you have worked hard to deliver. You have strengthened rules to combat fraud and corruption. You have increased transparency on how public money is spent. You are joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. You took these steps because the Hungarian people called for them. And these reforms bring real results. European funding is back. Access to Horizon Europe is restored. And all Hungarian students can once again take part in Erasmus. Finally! We missed them. There is more to come by the end of this year – from NextGenerationEU to funds linked to academic freedom. So, your hard work is paying off. Investor confidence is returning. And with Hungary’s renewed commitment to our common future – Europe is stronger. Here today, to all of you writing this new chapter, on behalf of Europe I say: thank you.
Let me close with the words of a great friend of Hungary and a great European – Albert Camus. On the first anniversary of the revolution, he wrote these words, words which resonate as much today as they did then: ‘It is hard for us to be worthy of so much sacrifice. Yet we must try. Let us forget our quarrels, confront our mistakes, and strengthen our efforts and solidarity in a Europe finally united’. It took many decades and many more struggles, but Europe did unite. And has remained united. Our task is to keep Europe united. Now, and long into the future.
Thank you. Long live Hungary. Éljen Európa.
Source – EU Commission
Speech by President António Costa to the Hungarian National Assembly on the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution of 1956
Budapest, 23 October 2026
Seventy years ago, the Hungarian people stood up against the totalitarian communist regime, for a simple but fundamental right: to live in freedom and democracy. The response by the Soviet Union was brutal repression. Thousands were killed, and many more were forced into exile.
But the uprising was not defeated in the hearts and minds of the Hungarian people. The desire for freedom endured. Indeed, the revolution of 1956 revealed to the whole world something fundamental about the Hungarian people: a profound, deep-rooted yearning for independence and self-determination.
That same spirit of patriotism found renewed expression in all decisive moments of Hungarian history. It was the motivation of the heroic days of the 1848 Revolution, and it was once again the driving force in 1989, when Hungarians were pioneers in removing the Iron Curtain.
1956 was not just a date in Hungarian history. The 1956 Revolution demonstrated that the struggle against totalitarian oppression was unfinished, that Europe itself was unfinished, and tragically incomplete. The memory of the 1956 Revolution is also a reminder that democracies must not be complacent in the face of tyranny and imperialism.
Hungary’s accession to the European Union in 2004 was a crucial step in reuniting Europe. In fact, by joining the European Union, Hungary reconfirmed what more than 1 000 years of history had repeatedly shown – that the Hungarian nation lies at the heart of Europe. That is the true spirit of the European Union: free nations joining together to build peace, security and prosperity through cooperation.
Because our Union is built on a simple conviction: we are united in our values, driven by common goals – and enriched by national diversity. Europe’s strength lies precisely in its many languages, histories, cultures and traditions. Those differences do not weaken us; they enrich our common project. And our constant efforts to build European unity do not threaten national identities.
Quite the opposite: by reinforcing Europe’s competitiveness, Europe’s strategic autonomy, Europe’s defence, and by protecting common borders together – the European Union nations are strengthening themselves in the face of common threats and global challenges.
Hungary is a case in point. Over the past 22 years, European integration has created new opportunities for Hungarian citizens and driven significant economic and social progress. Hungary’s economy has nearly tripled in size, while average salaries have increased fivefold.
Today, the European Union accounts for almost 80% of Hungary’s exports and nearly 70% of its imports, underscoring the country’s deep economic integration in the European single market. Yet the benefits of European integration extend far beyond trade and economic growth. Their true measure lies in the difference they make to people’s lives and the opportunities they create.
For Hungary, as for Europe as a whole, the experience of European integration underscores the close link between prosperity and democracy. Because sustainable growth depends not only on economic opportunity, but also on strong institutions, good governance, freedom of expression and academic freedom. These are essential foundations for public trust, a predictable business environment and the confidence that enables companies to invest, innovate and create jobs.
In a troubled world, Hungarians continue to recognise the value of our Union. Official figures tell a powerful story: 80% of Hungarians trust the European Union as a source of stability and consider membership highly beneficial. This reflects the value Hungarians place on a European Union that delivers security and prosperity and that gives Europe a stronger voice in the world – while being anchored in shared values.
May the courage and the legacy of those who stood up in 1956 continue to inspire Hungary and all of Europe: to defend democracy, uphold our common values, and build a Union that is stronger, more united and more prosperous than ever.
Thank you very much.
Source – European Council