Sawt Falasteen - Hungary rivals rally crowds in closing strait of election campaign

"We came out here because we have faith in Peter Magyar, and we've had enough of the old system," Attila Jozsa told AFP at the opposition leader's rally in the city of Gyor, 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Budapest, on Thursday.

"We believe there will be some kind of change across the whole country," added the 55-year-old electrician, who used to vote for Orban's Fidesz party.

Around 20,000 people, including many youngsters, packed a square in Gyor, according to an AFP photographer.

"Where is the money?" supporters of Magyar's party, Tisza, thundered in unison, referring to accusations against local Fidesz politicians over millions of euros of public funds that have gone missing.

Magyar has campaigned on pledges to offer better public services and fight alleged graft by the government of Orban, who has been in power since 2010.

"Give change a chance," Magyar appealed to voters in Gyor.

Opinion polls show a clear lead for Tisza.

Before the rally, many gathered lined up to have a quick chat with Tisza candidates to get their autographs and bought Hungarian flags, or Tisza-branded souvenirs and clothing from pop-up vendors as music blared.

One woman held a placard saying "there's no time for fear" and a child brought pictures he had drawn of Magyar.

- 'Really bad for Hungary' -

Also on Thursday, around 2,000 Orban supporters gathered in Hungary's second largest city Debrecen, as the nationalist leader appealed to them to "not put everything at risk" and to "protect what we have achieved".

"It would be really bad for Hungary if Tisza win," said Attila Szoke, a 55-year-old taxi driver, who worked in London for 22 years but returned home in 2022.

"I don't trust Magyar, from one day to the next he turned and stabbed Fidesz in the back," he said, referring to the opposition's ties with Fidesz -- he was formerly married to former justice minister Judit Varga.

Debrecen has long been a Fidesz stronghold but the city is projected to swing to Tisza on Sunday.

A flag draped on a balcony overlooking the rally read "Tisza is surging", a slogan of Magyar's party, referring to the river Tisza, the same as the party's acronym.

Counter-protesters met cheers for Orban with chants of "filthy Fidesz" and "Russians go home", a reference to Orban's ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

- 'Bid goodbye' -

Hundreds of predominantly young Tisza supporters mingled in the crowd, with one telling AFP he came along to "bid goodbye" to Orban.

"I would consider returning to Hungary if Orban is kicked out," said Laszlo Udvarhelyi, a 35-year-old sales accountant from Debrecen who lives in Frankfurt.

Both camps have accused the other of seeking to benefit from foreign interference.

Orban, the closest ally of US President Donald Trump in the EU, hosted US Vice President JD Vance this week.

He has also maintained ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine and frequently clashes with Brussels.

"It's far more important that Hungary belongs to Western Europe, not to Russia," said 17-year-old Kolos, who did not want to give his full name for fear of reprisals, holding an EU flag at the Tisza rally in Gyor.

"Even though Fidesz and the government portray the European Union today as Hungary's greatest enemy, that is simply not the case," he said, describing the EU as the "guarantor of democracy in Hungary".

Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST