We're moving forward, not backward

“Hungary is moving forward, not backward” was a slogan used by Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party during the 2022 election campaign. During Orbán's sixteen years in power (2010–2026), the meaning of progress became a subject of deep political disagreement.

The concentration of political power, concerns over corruption, public spending and media independence became central to debates about Hungary's future. Government propaganda and political messaging played a prominent role in public life, while protests reflected growing dissatisfaction and competing visions of the country's direction.

Photographed over eight years, the series examines how political power is built, maintained and challenged, as well as the gap between promises of progress and the realities of everyday life.