During his opening speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban compared liberalism to a virus and discussed the global movement of right-wing groups working to bring down what he called "progressive elites."
In his speech, Viktor Orban emphasized the need to combat "woke culture," addressing hot-button issues like immigration, the rights of transgender and LGBTQ+ people, and the content of children's textbooks, AP News reported.
The conference's slogans were "Make Kids Not War" and "No Country for Woke Men," and there was a sign outside the meeting venue that stated, "No Woke Zone."
Standing ovations followed Prime Minister Orban's praise of Hungary's strict immigration and cultural policies, which he used as a model for enacting similar measures in other nations. He described Hungary as an "incubator" where conservative ideals are tried out and effectively put into practice as opposed to only being discussed, per The Hill.
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Viktor Orban Blames West's Decline To Woke Culture
The Hungarian Prime Minister, who has come under heavy criticism for advocating illiberal democracy, has presented himself as a protector of European Christian values against challenges posed by progressives, the LGBTQ community, and Muslim immigrants.
In the United States, where Viktor Orbán has supported anti-LGBTQ initiatives such as a bill that forbids the use of materials in schools encouraging homosexuality and gender transition, he has won the backing of conservative groups.
Orbán said in his remarks at CPAC Hungary that liberalism was to blame for the West's economic and demographic decline, and he compared the "woke movement" and gender ideology to Communism and Marxism, per Federal News Network.
At CPAC's national conference in Texas last year, Viktor Orbán urged conservatives to "take back" institutions in Washington and Brussels and supported Donald Trump's 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.
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