Slowly but surely, a state can repress its people. Why is the UK channelling Viktor Orban's Hungary? | Lydia Gall

"I saw, at first hand, the slow erosion of the rule of law in Hungary. It began not with a single shocking act but with quiet legal changes that narrowed space for dissent; each step justified as reasonable or necessary, until suddenly, democracy itself felt like a performance rather than a reality. Watching current developments in the UK, it's impossible not to feel an uneasy sense of deja vu."

"Over the past few years, Britain has introduced a number of laws that have drastically curtailed the right to protest. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 grant police sweeping powers to restrict demonstrations, criminalise peaceful tactics and arrest people on vague grounds that they may have caused serious disruption or unease. Hundreds of arrests have followed, including for slow marching, linking arms, or carrying protest equipment."

"Officials say these measures are about balance and public order. But the balance has tipped towards control. Protesters and legal observers alike describe confusion about what is lawful, inconsistent police instructions and arbitrary arrests, even when organisers have coordinated with the police in advance. Activists are jailed for actions that only a few years ago would have resulted in a discharge, a fine or a suspended sentence. The result is growing uncertainty and hesitation that discourages people from speaking out or taking to the streets."

Slow erosion of the rule of law began with quiet legal changes that narrowed space for dissent, each reform justified as reasonable or necessary until democracy felt like performance. In the UK, recent laws have drastically curtailed the right to protest: the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 grant police sweeping powers to restrict demonstrations, criminalise peaceful tactics and arrest people on vague grounds of causing disruption or unease. Hundreds of arrests followed for slow marching, linking arms, or carrying protest equipment, with prosecutions, fines and imprisonment producing a chilling effect. In Hungary, power consolidated through restrictions on gatherings, media and independent institutions.

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