Prime Minister Péter Magyar attended a flag-raising ceremony outside parliament on Lajos Kossuth Square before laying flowers at memorials and graves, including that of Imre Nagy , the former prime minister executed after the 1956 revolution .
The uprising, which began on 23 October 1956 , lasted 15 days before Soviet troops and tanks crushed the revolt , killing up to 3,000 revolutionaries .
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined the commemorations, addressing Hungarian lawmakers during a special parliamentary session attended by European Council President António Costa . She praised the courage of Hungarians who fought for freedom, democracy, and justice , drawing parallels with the country's recent political transition following Viktor Orbán's departure from power.
Her visit comes as Budapest seeks the release of billions of euros in frozen EU funding , withheld over rule-of-law and corruption concerns. Brussels maintains that further reforms are needed before the funds can be unlocked, a key challenge for Magyar's new government.