Hungarians protest 'slave law' as Orban pledges to boost population

Hungarians protest 'slave law' as Orban pledges to boost population
Copyright Reuters
By Pascale Davies with Reuters
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Hungarians flood the streets in demonstrations against labor law while Prime Minister Viktor Orban promises incentives to boost the population.

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Hungarians are protesting against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government and a so-called "slave law".

Demonstrations first broke out in December following an amendment to a law that increases the number of overtime hours employees can be asked to work.

The change allows bosses to ask staff to work up to 400 extra hours per year of overtime, compared with the current limit of 250.

In addition, companies are allowed to delay paying employees for extra hours by up to three years.

Protesters are also angered by a new law that will see the setting-up of administrative courts overseen directly by the justice minister.

Critics say it will allow political interference in judicial matters and further undermine the rule of law.

Ahead of the protests and in a bid to boost the population, Orban announced a new tax and a subsidised loan programme for families with at least two children to buy used homes and subsidies for car purchases.

Orban also waived personal income tax for women raising at least four children and reiterated his hard rhetoric on immigration.

This is the answer for Hungarians, not immigration," Orban said in his annual state of the nation speech.

Watch the protest in the video below.

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