Hungarian workers protest over 'slavery law', students join in Saturday Dec 08,2018

Thousands of Hungarians have taken to the streets to demonstrate against a proposed new labour law and for more academic freedom in the country.

Inspired by the French protests, trade union members wore yellow jackets for their march to capital Budapest's Kossuth Lajos Square, the site of the country's parliament, on Saturday Dec 08,2018

Various trade unions in Hungary are protesting against a change to the labour law proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party that critics have dubbed a "slavery law".

The draft bill, introduced earlier this week, seeks to allow employers to ask for up to 400 hours of overtime work a year. If passed, the law would add an extra eight working hours to a week or result in a six-day work week


The protesting workers were joined by students from several Budapest universities, including billionaire George Soros-funded Central European University (CEU), which was recently forced out of the country.

The marchers chanted "We will not be slaves" and "Free university, free country" as the workers and students expressed their solidarity against the government's moves.