Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban did his best to stop the annual Pride march going ahead in Budapest yesterday, but his efforts backfired. The march was widely reported to have seen its biggest ever turnout,

Politically, Orban’s inability to stop Pride from going ahead risks projecting weakness at a time when his Fidesz party is trailing in the polls. However, a heavy-handed police response could also deepen public dissatisfaction and further undermine his support.