Europe must seize this chance to help restore democracy in Hungary | Timothy Garton Ash

An opposition united behind a conservative Catholic anti-corruption candidate could be a real challenge to Viktor Orban's regime

One day last month I stood in a large crowd at the bottom of Andrassy Street in Budapest and heard Hungary's leader, Viktor Orban, denounce the European Union, of which his no longer democratic state remains a full member. They would force us to be European, sensitive and liberal - even if it kills us", he said. Today the words and actions that Brussels directs at us and the Poles are like those usually reserved for enemies. We have a feeling of deja vu, as throughout Europe we hear echoes of the Brezhnev doctrine.' This from a man whose whole regime depends heavily on EU money. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. The crowd murmured support, although louder applause was reserved for the line, Hungary will be the first country in Europe in which we stop aggressive LGBTQ propaganda at the school gates." I saw not a single European flag.

At the other end of Andrassy Street, however, once I had got past a vast double row of coaches used to bus in Orban supporters, I reached an opposition rally. Here, the much smaller crowd waved European flags. And here I heard Peter Marki-Zay, the candidate of a united opposition for next spring's parliamentary election, declare that they would bring Hungary back to democracy and the legal standards of the EU. Referring to the misuse of EU funds by the Orban regime, Marki-Zay said, We should join the European public prosecutor's office, which does not infringe our sovereignty, only the sovereignty of criminals." Then a large group of opposition candidates, from six parties that range all the way from right to left, crowded on to the stage for a group photo.

Timothy Garton Ash is a Guardian columnist