The balloons are down. The rainbow flags are furled. But what happened in Budapest today matters. It was the first Pride parade since Viktor Orban left power. A landmark. A test. A glimpse of what post-illiberal Europe might look like.
Let's not get carried away. This is not a fairy tale. Orban's Fidesz machine didn't vanish overnight. But his departure left a vacuum. A fragile coalition government stepped in. They made a choice. They let the parade happen. No water cannons. No tear gas. No 'traditional values' rhetoric from the podium.
The numbers tell a story. 50,000 people marched. Some said it was bigger than any Pride in the Orban era. The atmosphere was electric. Nervous? Yes. But also defiant. A young man I spoke to had tears in his eyes. 'I never thought I'd see this in my lifetime,' he said.
The political implications are huge. The new government needs to prove it's different. Letting the parade go ahead was the easy part. The hard part comes next. Repealing the anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Protecting transgender rights. Changing the education curriculum. These are the battles ahead.
But today was a signal. To Brussels. To Washington. To investors. Hungary is open for business. Not just economic business. Democratic business. The message: 'We are back in the European family.'
Of course, the far right is watching. They will use this as a rallying cry. 'The liberals are destroying our country.' Expect protests. Expect online abuse. Expect a backlash. The coalition knows this. They are betting that the silent majority prefers tolerance to hatred.
What does this mean for Europe? A lot. Orban was the poster boy for illiberal democracy. If Hungary can turn around, so can Poland. So can others. The domino effect is real. But it's fragile. One wrong move and the whole thing could collapse.
Inside the newsroom, the phones are ringing. Diplomats are buzzing. The narrative is shifting. For years, Europe was on the defensive. Now there is a glimmer of offense. A victory lap? Not yet. But a tentative step forward.
The real test will come in the polls. If the coalition gains support from this, the gamble pays off. If it backfires, the far right could return stronger than ever. Politics is a game of chicken. Today, Budapest blinked towards freedom.
Stay tuned. This story is far from over. But for one sunny Sunday, it felt like hope had a home in Hungary.
