loading . . . Beyond Survival: Civil Society Strategies of Resilience and Resistance in Hungary | CCINDLE In a remarkable display of democratic resistance and solidarity, this year we witnessed the largest-ever Budapest Pride march, countering a governmental ban imposed by Prime Minister Viktor OrbĂĄnâs administration. Approximately 200,000 citizens came together, standing firm for fundamental democratic values, including the right to peaceful assembly and LGBTQ+ rights. This historic march marked a powerful democratic moment, showcasing the resilience of Hungarian civil society against anti-gender and anti-democratic politics. Set against anti-gender and anti-democratic politics, our research in CCINDLE into feminist civil society activism in Hungary reveals innovative strategies that activists use to navigate autocratic pressures. Drawing from in-depth interviews and focus groups, we highlight how activists rely on dualities in their operations to maximize impact and reach more people. Specifically, we identified three such adaptive strategies: duality in structure, duality in access, and duality in framing. One effective approach among civil society organisations is what we call duality in structure. Here, organizations maintain two parallel structures: one formal, institutionalized wing, and one informal, grassroots counterpart. The structured branch typically engages with official institutions, securing legitimacy, funding, and the ability to provide essential services directly to their communities. Meanwhile, the grassroots wing remains independent, embracing a more radical, mobilization-focused approach â sometimes in an uninstitutionalized format. As one of our interviewees explained: [In the beginning] we provided funding, which was also part of the infrastructure in a senseâwe very consciously supported the movement in finding its own form. [âŠ] They truly operate as a very grassroots, informal organization, which makes them much less exposed. I believe they are genuinely independent. I would rather emphasize their freedom and highlight that they are really able to represent women's experiences without any kind of compromise. The second dualityâduality in accessâcenters around feminist activistsâ deliberate strategy of embedding feminist ideals within broader, intersecting social movements. Some organizations (and also some individuals) strategically position themselves to operate effectively in multiple circles without constant conflict. This strategy aims at creating balance and fostering harmonious connections between different perspectives, potentially fostering broader alliances amongst civil society organizations and movements. The third adaptive strategy observed among feminist activists is the duality in framing. This duality involves activists selectively modulating their language, identity labels, and public positioning based on the audience and the political context. Given Hungaryâs politicized environment, organizations sometimes intentionally downplay explicitly feminist terminology publicly to maintain a broader appeal and protect themselves from targeted repression, while maintaining radical, feminist messaging internally. For instance, certain feminist-led organizations consciously avoid using explicitly feminist language externally to ensure broader societal acceptance and operational continuity. This careful framing is particularly important for organizations providing essential services, as overly explicit feminist language might alienate potential allies or beneficiaries uncomfortable with politicized terms. Conversely, other groups adopt overtly radical framing to clearly assert their feminist stance, leveraging bold, explicit rhetoric to galvanize activist communities and challenge oppressive societal norms openly. The Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest at night Rather than solely focusing on policy outcomes, Hungarian feminist activists emphasize resilience, community solidarity, emotional support, and symbolic victories. Achievements therefore, are redefined through subjective collective experiences rather than external policy changes alone. Feminist activists continuously reinterpret challenges as acts of resistance, creating powerful narratives that inspire continued mobilization even amid setbacks. The recent Budapest Pride exemplifies this dynamic, as despite direct governmental attempts at suppression activists successfully organized the largest Pride demonstration in the cityâs history. This event symbolizes a crucial shift in how democratic movements interpret their accomplishmentsânot merely by immediate political change, but through symbolic resistance, visibility, solidarity, and the unyielding assertion of democratic rights. Hungarian civil society activists show resilience, adaptability, and creativity through the three dualities of structure, access, and framing. Their ability to sustain activism under restrictive conditionsâvividly illustrated by the determination behind Budapest Prideâdemonstrates the persistent strength of civil society and its capacity for transformative impact even in increasingly autocratic contexts. Author: Mirjam Sagi, Central European University. 15th July 2025 https://ccindle.org/beyond-survival-civil-society-strategies-of-resilience-and-resistance-in-hungary/
