Hungary's Orbán says Budapest is Europe’s safest city for Jews as antisemitism surges
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said this week that Jewish communities are safer in Budapest than anywhere else in Europe, as data from the Anti-Defamation League point to a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents across the continent.
"Jewish communities are safer in Budapest than anywhere else in Europe. Zero tolerance for antisemitism, no hate crimes, no violent migrants," Orbán wrote in a post on X. "This is how a modern European capital ought to be."
Orbán’s claim was publicly backed by Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, who wrote on X that "Budapest is one of the safest and most welcoming European capitals for its Jewish community and for Israeli citizens alike."
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Chikli cited what he described as a recent decision by the Swiss city of Basel not to host a Zionist Youth Congress of approximately 200 Jewish youths, adding that Hungary agreed to host the event and that a senior Hungarian minister delivered a speech.
Chikli said Hungary’s approach stems from "a responsible immigration policy that recognizes the danger posed by radical Islam" and "an uncompromising government policy against antisemitism."
Orbán’s remarks come amid an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) report that stated antisemitism in Europe is escalating at an alarming pace. In a 2024–2025 analysis titled Take Action: Antisemitism Is Escalating in Europe, the ADL reported a surge in antisemitic harassment, vandalism, threats and physical attacks across multiple European countries, particularly following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza.
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According to the ADL, incidents rose sharply in countries including France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Jewish communities reported increased security threats, while many Jews said they felt unsafe wearing visible religious symbols in public. The ADL warned that Jewish institutions across Europe now require heightened security and that antisemitism is becoming increasingly normalized in public discourse.
Hungary is home to the largest Jewish community in Central Europe, with estimates ranging from 80,000 to 100,000 Jews, most of them living in Budapest.
Jewish leaders in Hungary have offered mixed assessments over the years. Some have praised the government for investing in synagogue restoration, Holocaust memorials and Jewish cultural life, as well as for maintaining close diplomatic ties with Israel. Others have expressed concern about nationalist rhetoric and disputes over historical memory, particularly regarding Hungary’s role in the Holocaust.
Before World War II, Hungary had one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations, estimated at about 825,000 people. Following the German occupation in March 1944, Hungarian and Nazi authorities deported approximately 430,000–440,000 Jews to Auschwitz in a matter of weeks, most of whom were murdered on arrival. Overall, historians estimate that about 564,000 Hungarian Jews were killed during the Holocaust.
Orbán’s government has repeatedly rejected accusations of antisemitism at home, pointing to its close relationship with Israel and its public opposition to antisemitic violence. Hungarian officials frequently contrast Budapest with major Western European cities where Jewish institutions now require heavy police protection and where protests linked to the Gaza war have at times turned violent.
According to the ADL, antisemitic narratives have now spread across Europe's political spectrum and online platforms, contributing to a climate of fear even in countries once considered safe for Jewish life.