Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban alleged that the European Union executive was trying to overthrow his government and impose a “puppet” administration on Budapest, likening his protest to the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising, writes swissinfo.ch.

Orban, who faces the most acute threat to his 14-year rule as an opposition party led by a political newcomer has surged in the polls, spoke to supporters on the anniversary of the revolt against Soviet domination that was crushed by the Red Army.

The Hungarian premier, who has repeatedly clashed with EU leaders, most recently in the European Parliament earlier this month, said in a speech that his sovereign policies relating to the Ukraine war and migration were unacceptable to Brussels.

“We know they want to force us into the war (in Ukraine), that they want to impose their migrants upon us…, and hand over our children to gender activists”, he said in a speech from a stage set up in Budapest’s Millenaris Park.

“We know that they’ve got a puppet government (in mind), party they want to impose on us”, Orban said, alluding to the new centre-right, pro-EU Tisza party of Peter Magyar, who addressed a rally of over 10,000 people later in the day.

Orban did not say how the European Commission was allegedly seeking to topple his government and impose a puppet administration, and cited no evidence of any EU policies or statements to back up such accusations.

In Brussels, a spokesperson for the European Commission declined comment on Orban’s remarks.