Hosting the Summer Olympic Games has become a central issue for the current government of Hungary, led by the populist, nationalist FIDESZ — Hungarian Civic Alliance party. The importance of the Olympics for the Hungarian political agenda is at least partially inspired by a nationalist rhetoric of pride and obligation to the professional sportswomen and men of the country, who have always performed exceptionally well during the Olympic games. Hungary has won more Olympic medals than any other nation that has never hosted the event, taking third place in the world in total medals per capita and second in gold medals per capita for the Summer Games. This extraordinary achievement is a source of great pride for a nation with a population of less than ten million.

Hosting the Olympics was not a central part of the public discussion during the last parliamentary elections in 2014. However, the issue has been a vital question for every government since the beginning of the 2000s, evidenced by Budapest submitting its bid for the 2024 Olympics. Currently, Budapest is one of three remaining contenders, alongside Los Angeles and Paris. The International Olympic Committee will announce the 2024 host city in September 2017. However, public discussion had been scarce around the issue until the unexpected emergence of Momentum Mozgalom — Momentum Movement — a month ago, a civil society organization mostly consisting of young, educated professionals, absent from the domestic political scene until then.

Momentum launched the NOlimpia campaign, a drive to collect 138,000 signatures from Budapest residents, which would force the Municipality of Budapest to hold a referendum to withdraw the capital’s bid prior to the IOC’s announcement in September. Momentum argues that the country’s current situation makes it completely unfit to host an event of this magnitude. More people die from infection in hospitals than in car crashes, competitiveness is at an all-time low, corruption is institutionalized and growing and educational achievement is decreasing according to a survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s. Moreover, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been monumentally successful at eroding democratic checks and balances, aiming to turn the country into what he describes as an “illiberal democracy”. Momentum claims that they have been successful at posing those questions to the Hungarian people that the government is unwilling to and are engaging the public in a conversation. With five days remaining to collect the necessary signatures, Momentum is well on its way to potentially blocking FIDESZ’s move. The movement’s success would be an unprecedented victory for those opposing the rule of the rightist party.

Personally, having become a citizen in fall 2015 after 19 years of residence, seeing the slow but steady deterioration of the country’s democratic institutions against the backdrop of rising populism in Europe has been distressing. Like many Hungarians, I have become increasingly jaded and apathetic toward national politics. I was cynical after being invited to Momentum’s summer camp last year by an NYU Abu Dhabi alumnus, skeptical of what seemed like a group of loosely organized, mostly foreign-educated young intellectuals. However, the movement’s drive, passion and apparent willingness to sacrifice opportunities abroad because of a shared feeling of obligation toward the Hungarian populous has been an inspiration for those of us who have become, in the words of Momentum, “political orphans.” With about a year remaining until the 2018 parliamentary election and an extremely fragmented opposition, Momentum’s aspirations to become a successful political party seem ambitious. Their grassroots campaign, however, may prove to be an example of a new era of political entrepreneurship, a desperately needed sign of resistance.