Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces mounting resistance from opposition parties, trade union and civil society groups.
“We vow to make 2019 a year of resistance, both inside and outside parliament. And we will do this with the unity and cooperation of all the opposition parties,” a group of politicians declared at an impromptu gathering in front of the parliament in the Hungarian capital.
As reported by the Agence France-Presse (AFP), tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to rally in Budapest on January 5 in new protests against a controversial labour reform signed into law last month.
Criticised as a “slave law”, the reform has increased the amount of overtime that employers may demand from 250 to 400 hours per year and allows payment to be delayed by up to three years.
Hungarian President Janos Ader signed the reform into law just before Christmas. The government argues the new law is necessary in order to tackle Hungary’s labour shortage.
