Trump deletes AI Jesus image and picks ‘unhinged’ fight with the Pope What a time to be alive. The President of the United States has officially declared war on the Pope. Not metaphorically but on Truth Social. At midnight. With capital letters. In a post exceeding 300 words, Donald Trump descended upon Pope Leo XIV with the full force of his grievance machine. The Pope, for the crime of calling war “truly unacceptable” and preaching peace from St. Peter’s Basilica, was labelled “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.” One imagines the Holy Father reading this and thinking ‘I shepherd 1.4 billion souls, and I’m being reviewed like a struggling middle manager’. But the piece de resistance, the detail that belongs in a museum dedicated to the unhinged, was Trump’s claim that Leo wouldn’t even be in the Vatican if it weren’t for him. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote apparently under the impression that the College of Cardinals convenes like a party donor list and that the Holy Spirit defers to MAGA endorsements. For those who may need a brief theological clarification, Catholics believe the Pope is not elected by the people to represent the people. He is chosen through the Cardinals, guided by the Holy Spirit. He is, in the language of the Church, the Vicar of Christ. He is not a DOGE appointment. What triggered this late-night theological crisis? Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, elected in May 2025, a man from Chicago, had the audacity to speak like a Christian. He hosted a global Prayer Vigil for Peace, condemned what he called the “delusion of omnipotence” in the US-Israel war on Iran, and urged politicians to “work for peace and to reject war always.” He is, in short, doing what the leader of the world’s largest Christian denomination is supposed to do. Which is, apparently, a problem for Trump. Shortly after his papal tirade, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself depicted as Jesus Christ healing a sick man in a bed, surrounded by followers and angels. Surely this constitutes blasphemy? Back to the gaslighting, as he later told us that he isn’t Jesus but dressed like a doctor, as if we are stupid. Maybe at this point we are. Jesuit priest, Father James Martin called Trump’s attacks “unhinged, uncharitable and unchristian.” Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, stated plainly, “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ.” Meanwhile, over on _Fox News_ , Sean Hannity reportedly wondered aloud whether the Pope had “even read the Bible” in response to the Pope’s anti-conflict stance. The Pope. The spiritual successor to Saint Peter. Whether the Pope has ‘read the Bible’. Truly no words. The political maths here is genuinely breathtaking. Sixty-two percent of white Catholics in the United States voted for Donald Trump in 2024. Three of the most influential American cardinals recently appeared on _60 Minutes_ to criticise the Iran war and the administration’s immigration crackdown and Trump has since moved to sideline them. And what of Pope Leo? He is currently on a plane to for an 11-day tour of Africa unbothered. When asked about Trump’s Truth Social assault, he offered the response of someone deeply secure in their purpose, “I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out about the message of the Gospel. We are not politicians. I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.” Then he gestured to the platform Trump had chosen to launch his attack. “It’s ironic,” Leo said, “the name of the site itself. Say no more.” He was right. Say no more. The man who posts AI images of himself as Jesus Christ at 3am is not a figure the Pope needs to fear. But the rest of us, particularly those of us who have watched women, minorities and refugees be cast aside in the name of a “Christian” political movement, are watching something rot in real time. The hypocrisy isn’t incidental. It is the entire architecture. MAGA is at war with the teachings of Christ. The base is being asked to choose between a man who posts himself as a divine healer and a Pope who advocates for the actual content of the Gospels — peace, care for the poor, welcome of the stranger. Some of them don’t even understand the institutional structure they’re being asked to betray. And that, in its own bleak way, is the most exhausting part of all. Every morning brings a new outrage calibrated to exhaust us into submission. Every day the headlines require a theology degree, a political science doctorate, and a few very strong coffees. As I was writing this article on the couch at 9.30 in the evening, my 19-year-old son asked me what l was doing and l told him what l was writing about. He turned to me with the clarity that only the young can summon in moments of collective absurdity, _“the world is f**ked, isn’t it?”_ I couldn’t argue with him. Share this ChristianityDonald TrumpPope Leo XIV by Rita Nasr 14 hours ago ## Stay Smart! Get Women's Agenda in your inbox * Email * Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ ## Latest news ### The Trumpian immigration plan unveiled by Angus Taylor is proudly discriminatory ### ‘Deeply significant’: Susan Coyle becomes first woman to command Australian army ### My business grew to $17 million when I stoped asking women to prove they deserved flexibility ### Basketball player Alanna Smith signs history-making deal with WNBA ### Mad F—ing Witches doubles down to remove Kyle Sandilands from Australian Idol ### How an International Court judge thinks about hope

Trump deletes AI Jesus image and picks ‘unhinged’ fight with the Pope womensagenda.com.au/latest/trump-deletes-ai-... #AUSpol

Orban’s demise a win for EU, and a big loss for Benjamin Netanyahu The biggest loser of the Hungarian election has been overshadowed by blockade brinkmanship and Trump’s god complex. It’s Israel.

Orban’s demise a win for EU, and a big loss for Benjamin Netanyahu michaelwest.com.au/orbans-demise-a-win-for-... #Auspol

Vance joyless as US-Iran negotiations fall apart The Trump administration’s failure to reach an agreement with Iran to end the war shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Vance joyless as US-Iran negotiations fall apart australiainstitute.org.au/post/vance-joyless-as-us... #Auspol

Rockhampton army veteran sails for Gaza with aid flotilla Machinist Rob Volker, who has joined the Global Sumud Flotilla to sail to Gaza, told Ivana Daskalovic that he feels privileged to be able to join it as “human rights are everyone’s rights”.

Rockhampton army veteran sails for Gaza with aid flotilla www.greenleft.org.au/2026/1451/analysis/rockh... #Auspol

It’s been a busy time at @newsmast Our pilots are all live or in test, across four flavours of app.

Over the next two months, everything we’ve co-designed with our pilot communities will be embedded into our Build-an-App programme. A simplified, modular set of code and tools, enabling partner […]

Reform-Run Kent Council Sells Off Antony Gormley Sculpture After Raising Taxes Nigel Farage's flagship council quietly sold Two Stones, one of the sculptor's earliest commissions, as part of a wave of publicly owned art disposals that critics call "shameful"

🔴Reform-Run Kent Council Sells Off Antony Gormley Sculpture After Raising Taxes

Nigel Farage’s flagship council quietly sold Two Stones, one of the sculptor’s earliest commissions, as part of a wave of publicly owned art disposals that critics call “shameful”

bylinetimes.com/2026/04/14/r...

Conservative Candidate Tells British MPs to 'Go Back to Pakistan' EXCLUSIVE: Kemi Badenoch suspends the Conservative party's candidate for North Harrow, after a Byline Times investigation uncovered a series of vile messages he posted over recent months

🔴Conservative Candidate Suspended After Byline Times Investigation Reveals Messages Telling British MPs to ‘Go Back to Pakistan’

bylinetimes.com/2026/04/13/c...

Activty Growth on Indieweb Social

FYI, continually happy to see #indiewebsocial as a server continue to be a thriving social home for this many folks as it recently crossed 12,000 registered accounts and with a thriving and growing activty base. Just happy to be here.

Thanks again for […]

[Original post on indieweb.social]

Matt Goodwin’s Lucrative Hungarian Fellowship Could Be in Line for the Chop Following Orbán’s Defeat The Orbán-controlled body for which the Reform UK and GB News commentator is a ‘visiting fellow’ is facing investigation over alleged misuse of public funds

Heart-breaking.
bylinetimes.com/2026/04/13/m...

David Edgar's 1976 play 'Destiny' – informed by the rise of Enoch Powell and the National Front – is alarmingly relevant today.

Join us for a special 50th anniversary reading at The Cockpit on May 3rd, followed by a discussion with the playwright

Tickets: www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/david_e...

The Neo-Nazi Enforcer Who Helped Build Peter Thiel’s Online Influence Empire New Epstein-linked revelations show how neo-Nazi operative Andrew Auernheimer became a crucial link between Peter Thiel and the online far-right subcultures waging ‘memetic warfare’ against their enem...

🔴The Neo-Nazi Enforcer Who Helped Build Peter Thiel’s Online Influence Empire

New Epstein-linked revelations show how neo-Nazi operative Andrew Auernheimer became a crucial link between Peter Thiel and the online far-right subcultures waging ‘memetic warfare’ against their enemies

The British Tax Havens Shielding Big Oil’s Iran War Windfall As Shell and BP prepare to pocket billions from Trump's war in Iran, a Byline Times investigation reveals how British jurisdictions are quietly doing the work of protecting them

🔴The British Tax Havens Shielding Big Oil’s Iran War Windfall

As Shell and BP prepare to pocket billions from Trump’s war in Iran, a Byline Times investigation reveals how British jurisdictions are quietly doing the work of protecting them

bylinetimes.com/2026/04/14/t...

‘Deeply significant’: Susan Coyle becomes first woman to command Australian army Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, 55, has been appointed as the new Chief of Army, becoming the first woman in history to command the Australian army. During his announcement, Minister for Defence Richard Marles described Coyle’s promotion as “a deeply historic moment.” “Lieutenant General Coyle will be the first woman in our nation’s history to command the Australian Army,” he said. “[She] has commanded at every rank that she has held, which is in itself a remarkable achievement, has most recently been the Chief of Joint Capability at a time where we have been expanding and changing our capability, and she was very much the standout candidate to be the next Chief of Army.” “[She] said to me: ‘You cannot be what you cannot see.’ [Her] achievement will be deeply significant to women who are serving in the Australian defence force today and women who are thinking about serving in the Australian defence force in the future.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added, “From July, we will have the first ever female chief of army in the Australian Army’s 125-year history.” Today, we look a closer look at her distinguished career and consider the significance of a female army chief. ## Who is Susan Coyle? At the age of 17, Susan enlisted as a soldier in the Army Reserves in 1987, graduating from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1992. Born in Kyogle in northern NSW, her early life was spent travelling around “from dam site to dam site” for her father’s job at the Water Resources Commission within the NSW government. Coyle’s professional pathway, as published on the ADF website, is extraordinary in its breadth. In her nearly 40-year military career, she has shifted across dozens of roles. She has worked at the tactical, operational and strategic levels and in command roles. She has held positions as head of information warfare, commander of Joint Task Force 633 (in the Middle East), commander of Task Group and commanded troops on deployment to Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. When she was deployed on promotion to Major General as Commander Joint Task Force 633 in early 2020, she became the first female Two-Star officer to be deployed on operations commanding Australian military forces. “A sign of how times have changed, her husband will also be deploying to a separate operation around the same time she is deployed, and they’re leaving the kids at home to look after themselves,” former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said at the time. Coyle’s husband is an engineer in the Army and the pair share three children. In July 2024, she was appointed Chief of Joint Capabilities, becoming the first woman to occupy the post. In the role, she was responsible for the ADF’s information warfare and cyber and space commands. As the army undergoes a sweeping transformation—investing in long-range strike capabilities, drones and other modern tools of warfare—Coyle said this week that her background in areas like cyberwarfare would inform her approach in the latest role. “This breadth of experience provides a strong foundation for the responsibilities of command and the trust placed in me,” she said. In July, Coyle will replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, who will retire after more than 35 years in the army. **A turning point for gender in the ranks** As the Australian military faces mounting allegations of systemic sexual harassment and discrimination, Coyle’s appointment is likely to be welcomed as it seeks to increase the number of female officers. In October, a class action was commenced against the Commonwealth of Australia on behalf of current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, reporting they had experienced gender-based sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination during their service in the ADF and alleging that the organisation failed to protect thousands of female officers from systemic abuse. At the time, several news outlets covered the allegations from women, including _60 Minutes_ and _The Age. _ On _Women’s Agenda_ , Rita Nasr described how the alleged systemic abuse has left many women in the ADF suffering lasting psychological harm, disrupted careers, and a loss of trust in institutions. “This class action is a chance for the ADF to confront the institutionalised sexism, systemic dysfunction and deep-rooted misogyny that have plagued what should be one of our most respected institutions,” she wrote. “It is a call to ensure that no woman has to endure abuse in silence. And it is a reminder that justice must be more than a promise; it must be a reality.” “As a society, we must stand with these women. We must demand accountability, support survivors, and work tirelessly to create safe, respectful workplaces.” Currently, women make up roughly a fifth of the Australian Defence Forces. The ADF has made explicit efforts to increase the number of women in leadership roles, with current figures reaching 18.5 per cent of women in Senior Officer roles. The organisation said it is committed to increasing women’s representation to 25 per cent of its total workforce by 2030. The 2024 Defence Workforce Plan identified three lines of effort for the ADF workforce to “stabilise, remediate, and grow.” “Supporting women’s participation, addressing barriers for retention, and increasing the recruitment of women will be critical for achieving these outcomes,” the report said. Around the time of the report’s release, Coyle expressed optimism about the growing role of women in the armed forces. “There’s lots of really good women coming through, who have worked really hard, have done all the right types of jobs and I think being recognised,” she said. “It’s a wonderful place to be.” “Men and women take extended breaks now as part of maternity or paternity leave. And I think that’s a really enriching experience for them and their families.” Last year, paid maternity leave for ADF members increased from 14 weeks to 18 weeks, and new policies were introduced to increase flexibility for serving members. Coyle’s appointment shows both how far the Australian army has come in opening its ranks to women, while also exposing how far it still has to go. Share this ADFArmyAustralian militaryfemale leaderSusan Coyle by Jessie Tu 7 hours ago ## Stay Smart! Get Women's Agenda in your inbox * Email * Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ ## Latest news ### The Trumpian immigration plan unveiled by Angus Taylor is proudly discriminatory ### Trump deletes AI Jesus image and picks ‘unhinged’ fight with the Pope ### My business grew to $17 million when I stoped asking women to prove they deserved flexibility ### Basketball player Alanna Smith signs history-making deal with WNBA ### Mad F—ing Witches doubles down to remove Kyle Sandilands from Australian Idol ### How an International Court judge thinks about hope

‘Deeply significant’: Susan Coyle becomes first woman to command Australian army womensagenda.com.au/latest/deeply-significan... #AUSpol

Iran debacle is Suez moment for US-Australia alliance While there is already introspection both in the US and among its allies as to the long-term effects of this crisis on American capabilities and capacities, will Canberra seize the moment to reflect?

Iran debacle is Suez moment for US-Australia alliance johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/iran-debacl... #Auspol

Farage’s Staggering Side Hustles – Byline Times Digital / Print Edition Nigel Farage has spent more than 1,113 hours – or 140 working days – on his various other jobs since being elected to Parliament in July 2024.

🟨 Print Edition — Farage’s Staggering Side Hustles

Nigel Farage has spent more than 1,113 hours – or 140 working days – on his various other jobs since being elected to Parliament in July 2024.

subscribe.bylinetimes.com/edition/84/farages-stagg...

Reform UK Energy Prize Winners Had Nominated Party’s Own Branch Chair As Greater Manchester Police confirm they are reviewing a complaint into the prize draw, can reveal that the party's Wigan branch chair – nominated by the winners – was present at the doorstep prize ceremony

📌 ICYMI — Reform UK Energy Prize Winners Had Nominated Party’s Own Branch Chair

As Greater Manchester Police confirm they are reviewing a complaint into the prize draw, can reveal that the party's Wigan branch chair – nominated by the winners – was present at the doorstep prize ceremony

The Trumpian immigration plan unveiled by Angus Taylor is proudly discriminatory A clear preference for individuals from “liberal democracies” would be introduced under the Coalition’s new hardline immigration plan that will proudly “discriminate based on values”. In a bid to chase populist support and claw support what the Coalition is losing to One Nation, Opposition Angus Taylor announced his immigration plans during a press conference in Sydney this morning. He claimed Australians are “fed up” with Labor’s immigration policies, and that “It’s time to take back control from the technocrats, bureaucrats and the activists.” Taylor noted a preference for those “migrating from liberal democracies” because they “have a greater likelihood of subscribing to Australian values compared to those coming from other places.” He said the Liberal party would create a “safe country list” and fast-track asylum claim refusals for those coming from countries deemed safe to return to. As _Women’s Agenda_ has previously outlined, Taylor’s take on “Australian values” is unclear. Taylor is part of a growing group seeking to cherry-pick Australian values, and conveniently overlooks the stated values of equality, compassion and respect. Visa applicants are required to sign the Australian Values Statement with the Home Affairs Department, noting that the statement is “based on freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity” and is central to our community remaining a secure, prosperous and peaceful place to live. It’s unclear if Taylor is keen to change this values statement, and what kind of framework he’d use for a new one. But Taylor is convinced that “Australia has a non-discriminatory immigration program” and that needs to change. “For an immigration program to work in the national interest, it must discriminate based on values,” he said. There are two categories of migrants, according to Taylor. There are those who embrace Australia and those who want Australia “to change for them’ and fall into the “subversive” category. “Declining immigration standards have seen our door open to migrants of subversive intent,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, something has changed in recent times. Immigration numbers are too high. Consequently, Australians can see their country changing for the worse.” The Coalition plan would require those seeking permanent residency to learn English, non-citizens to wait longer for access to support services, and restrictions on access to the Federal government’s 5 per cent housing deposit scheme. The overall plan has remarkable similarities to policies recently presented by the Trump administration, including Taylor’s bonus announcement that tourists obtaining visa would have to have their social media accounts vetted. Taylor also declared that “bigger Australia” has not meant a “better Australia”, without outlining what a better Australia actually means. Without evidence, Taylor said that too many people are seeking to exploit the generosity of Australia, “for self-serving purposes,” and too many migrants of “subversive intent” have been allowed into the country under Labor. Without evidence again, Taylor said that, “the cohort of Gazans let into Australia following the 7 October attacks present a clear risk to our country”. This group has been vetted by ASIO and the Department of Foreign Affairs, but Taylor says they must now undergo another assessment with “far greater scrutiny.” The Greens have already described Taylor’s plan as a “2026 version of the White Australia” policy, and declared that both Labor and the Coalition “see the racism and division of One Nation and Trump, and instead of fighting it, they copy it.” Independent MP Zali Steggall has responded by declaring she is “appalled” by Taylor’s comments on Palestinian refugees. “Suggesting people fleeing conflict are inherently a risk based on where they come from — especially when they have been vetted by agencies such as DFAT and ASIO — is deeply irresponsible and discriminatory,” Steggall said. She described what was unveiled by the Coalition this morning as an attempt to distract from the Opposition’s “lack of real policies of dog-whistling to One Nation voters.” It’s telling that Taylor has only offered some initial pillars of his immigration plan, with more details to come. He’s likely to wait to assess the popularity of the first announcements, aiming to iterate further in real time based on how a noisy cohort of voters responds. Share this Angus Taylorimmigration by Angela Priestley 2 hours ago ## Stay Smart! Get Women's Agenda in your inbox * Email * Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ ## Latest news ### ‘Deeply significant’: Susan Coyle becomes first woman to command Australian army ### Trump deletes AI Jesus image and picks ‘unhinged’ fight with the Pope ### My business grew to $17 million when I stoped asking women to prove they deserved flexibility ### Basketball player Alanna Smith signs history-making deal with WNBA ### Mad F—ing Witches doubles down to remove Kyle Sandilands from Australian Idol ### How an International Court judge thinks about hope

The Trumpian immigration plan unveiled by Angus Taylor is proudly discriminatory womensagenda.com.au/latest/eds-blog/the-trum... #AUSpol

Rinehart’s “Advance” preps for MAGA blitz theklaxon.com.au/rineharts-advance-preps-... #AUSpol

Mad F—ing Witches doubles down to remove Kyle Sandilands from Australian Idol A push to dump Kyle Sandilands from Seven’s _Australian Idol_ has gained momentum as activist group Mad F—ing Witches continues to lobby advertisers ahead of the show’s grand final. _Australian Idol_ holds its grand final episodes on Monday and Tuesday night this week and Mad F—ing Witches says it wants to see Sandilands removed as a judge on the television show from 2027. It comes as Sandilands’ $100 million contract with ARN was terminated in March following an on-air argument with his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and allegations of serious misconduct. Sandilands has now launched legal action against the company, arguing his termination of his contract was invalid because there was no act of serious misconduct. Meanwhile, Henderson has also launched her own legal proceedings, accusing ARN of failing to act on repeated complaints she had made about Sandilands’ on-air behaviour. For nearly two years, Mad F—g Witches had put sustained pressure on the KIIS breakfast radio show by targeting its advertisers, ensuring they were aware of the misogynistic content of the show. The campaign had successfully eaten into the radio show’s advertising revenue before it was taken off air earlier this year. According to Mad F— Witches, two thousand advertisers deserted the _Kyle and Jackie O Show_ over a period of nearly two years. Speaking to _Women’s Agenda_ , Mad F—ing Witches founder Jennie Hill said: “We’re glad he’s not there [anymore], because the content that he was saying every day on air was very damaging to women and people in minority groups.” “So he’s not on the air. That’s great. It’s fantastic.” > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by MFW (@mfwitches) The campaign group is set on ending Sandilands’ run on _Australian Idol_ , with Hill estimating between 50 and 100 advertisers have already withdrawn from the singing talent show amid their campaign. “Even though Kyle’s behavior isn’t as bad on _Idol_ as it was on radio, he’s demonstrated that he’s not a fit person to be broadcasting anywhere in Australia,” Hill said. “Which is why we’re also talking to _Idol_ advertisers, as well as on the KIIS radio show. “We’ll do that until the show finishes tomorrow, and then at this stage, we’re intending to start the campaign again in early 2027 if Kyle’s back on _Australian Idol_ next year.” On Facebook, Mad F—ing Witches shared a video from _Australian Idol_ , highlighting a recent incident where fellow judge Amy Shark shut Sandilands down after he repeatedly interrupted her. “The clip is just one instance from a few weeks ago when Amy finally cracked it after Kyle repeatedly interrupted her and Marcia Hines during taping. He continues to act as if his voice is the only one which matters, and his opinions the only ones which count,” Mad Fucking Witches said. “It’s poor role modelling for young people watching, it’s highly irritating, and it’s clearly misogynistic in tone and intent. And it should fucking stop.” Sandilands has previously said his _Australian Idol_ contract, reportedly worth $1 million, renews on one-year terms. Mad F—ing Witches said some “fascinating” outcomes are already happening in relation to Channel 7’s advertisers for the show. “We’re truly seeing the same fascinating outcomes we saw on the radio show, such as advertisers appearing more than once in the same ad slot (unheard of a few weeks ago since it’s anathema for broadcasters who don’t want consumers to get bored with the same ads); plus much smaller ad slots (only around 10 to 14 in each ad break when there used to be up to 20); and an increase in free or donated slots (for charities and non-profits, who don’t pay for ads but the broadcaster still earns income via tax deductions),” they said. Share this Australian IdolKyle and Jackie O showKyle Sandilands by Madeline Hislop 1 day ago ## Stay Smart! Get Women's Agenda in your inbox * Email * Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ ## Latest news ### The Trumpian immigration plan unveiled by Angus Taylor is proudly discriminatory ### ‘Deeply significant’: Susan Coyle becomes first woman to command Australian army ### Trump deletes AI Jesus image and picks ‘unhinged’ fight with the Pope ### My business grew to $17 million when I stoped asking women to prove they deserved flexibility ### Basketball player Alanna Smith signs history-making deal with WNBA ### How an International Court judge thinks about hope

Mad F—ing Witches doubles down to remove Kyle Sandilands from Australian Idol womensagenda.com.au/latest/mad-f-ing-witches... #AUSpol

Pope Leo reframes the moral language of war Leo may help break a trend that has dominated American Catholicism – less religion as national glue, more faith as a critique of power.

Pope Leo reframes the moral language of war johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/pope-leo-re... #Auspol

Trump ally Viktor Orbán defeated in Hungary as voters reject strongman politics After sixteen years in power, Hungary’s far-right authoritarian leader Viktor Orbán, has conceded defeat in the country’s federal election, losing to his Tisza Party opponent, Peter Magyar. Overnight, citizens in the nation’s capital, Budapest, gathered to celebrate the end of what many considered an era of corruption, with tens of thousands of young Tisza supporters chanting “two-thirds”, referring to the expected two-thirds majority that Tisza will likely secure. > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by Getty Images (@gettyimages) Almost all votes have now been counted, with Tisza set to win 138 seats, a safe majority in Hungary’s 199-seat legislature. The figures will likely mean that Magyar has the numbers to amend the controversial changes Orbán made to the constitution during his reign. It appears that the 62-year old’s political ties with US President Donald Trump and Russia’s autocratic President Vladimir Putin were not enough to get him over the line. In his victory speech, the centre-right opposition leader Peter Magyar urged his predecessor to avoid taking any steps that would restrict the next government’s freedom to act. He also urged a number of key political figures to step down, including the head of the high court, the chief prosecutor, the head of media authority and President Tamás Sulyok. “I call on the President of the Republic to ask me without delay, as the leader of the winning party’s list, to form a government, and then to resign from his office,” Magyar said. “With the two-thirds majority allowing us to amend the constitution, we will restore the system of checks and balances,” he continued, accusing the figures of capturing Hungary’s independent institutions for the past 16 years. “We will join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and guarantee the democratic functioning of our country. We will never again allow anyone to hold free Hungary captive or to abandon it.” “Hungary will be a strong ally in the European Union and NATO again.” > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by Péter Magyar (@magyar_peter_official_the_man) Orbán’s critics are celebrating his loss. Among them, Hungary’s LGBTIQ+ community. During his reign, Orbán’s government attempted to ban the Budapest Pride march, made it illegal for same-sex couples to adopt children, removed the legal recognition of gender identity for transgender people and passed a law prohibiting the “portrayal or promotion” of homosexuality. Human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, have slammed Orbán’s restrictions on LGBTQ rights and anti-immigration changes to Hungary’s constitution. One young Hungarian spoke to SBS about the social impact of government messaging on LGBTQ+ people, in particular, the so-called “family-friendly Hungary” campaign. “I would overhear conversations on the street, when a queer-looking person or a trans person would walk past, people would talk among themselves and say, ‘that’s quite strange, I thought that was illegal now, I thought they would ban that stuff’,” she said. “It shows how people start internalising these messages.” Women are also celebrating the end of Orbán’s leadership. Throughout his reign, Orbán’s government imposed a range of anti-feminist, pro-family policies and regulations, including removing Gender Studies degrees from accredited university programs, explicitly framing “gender ideology” as a threat and offering tax breaks to women who have multiple children to push a pro-natalist regime. “His alleged “pro-family” policies actually reinforce traditional gender roles and undermine equality between men and women, reducing women to their reproductive function,” one researcher wrote in 2022. Orbán’s populist politics have been described as having “a distinctly macho flavour”. Among the EU nations, Hungary is consistently ranked at the bottom of gender equality indicators. Last year, it came in second last on the European Institute for Gender Equality Index. In 2023, a US-based study found that women who spoke out against Orbán’s government faced vicious misogynistic attacks online. Female politicians also faced disinformation that portrayed them as “untrustworthy” or “foreign agents” who were attempting to “destroy conservative norms.” The study’s founder, Lucina Di Meco said a stronger gender dimension to digital legislation was required to protect women in politics. “The study opened my eyes to how little we knew from women’s voices about the impact social media was having on them,” Di Meco said. “[Social media companies] want us to think that misogyny doesn’t have anything to do with them. It’s not their responsibility. This has just as much to do with misogyny as it does with the tools they created. They’re facilitating, incentivising and making money out of the spread of fake stories.” On Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrated Orbán’s loss, writing on X, “Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path.” French President Emmanuel Macron also posted on X to congratulate Peter Magyar, saying his country “welcomes the victory of democratic participation, the Hungarian people’s commitment to the values of the European Union, and Hungary’s European commitment.” “Let us move forward together toward a more sovereign Europe, for the security of our continent, our competitiveness, and our democracy.” Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered the incoming leader to “join forces for a strong, secure and, above all, united Europe.” Share this electionEUHungaryViktor Orbán by Jessie Tu 1 day ago ## Stay Smart! Get Women's Agenda in your inbox * Email * Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ ## Latest news ### ‘Deeply significant’: Susan Coyle becomes first woman to command Australian army ### Trump deletes AI Jesus image and picks ‘unhinged’ fight with the Pope ### My business grew to $17 million when I stoped asking women to prove they deserved flexibility ### Basketball player Alanna Smith signs history-making deal with WNBA ### Mad F—ing Witches doubles down to remove Kyle Sandilands from Australian Idol ### How an International Court judge thinks about hope

Trump ally Viktor Orbán defeated in Hungary as voters reject strongman politics womensagenda.com.au/latest/trump-ally-viktor... #AUSpol

Australia’s pre-emptive strike against Iranian asylum seekers A new law allows Australia to block entire groups of visa holders from entering the country – a sharp break from past practice with major consequences for asylum policy.

Australia’s pre-emptive strike against Iranian asylum seekers johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/australias-... #Auspol

Defund, don’t debate – the playbook for silencing dissent The closure of the Grace Tame Foundation exposes a troubling pattern – dissent isn’t debated, it is defunded through pressure applied behind the scenes.

Defund, don’t debate – the playbook for silencing dissent johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/defund-dont... #Auspol

On The Streets: Setting sail for Gaza and defending free speech On this episode of On The Streets, we discuss a range of events held to support the people joining the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is set to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break Israel’s blockade, and a rally opposing anti-free speech laws in Queensland.

On The Streets: Setting sail for Gaza and defending free speech www.greenleft.org.au/2026/1451/news/streets-s... #Auspol

Green Left Radio: Ali Keshtkar on the illegal war on Iran www.greenleft.org.au/2026/1451/analysis/green... #Auspol

Reform UK Energy Prize Winners Had Nominated Party’s Own Branch Chair As Greater Manchester Police confirm they are reviewing a complaint into the prize draw, can reveal that the party's Wigan branch chair – nominated by the winners – was present at the doorstep prize ceremony

📌 ICYMI — Reform UK Energy Prize Winners Had Nominated Party’s Own Branch Chair

As Greater Manchester Police confirm they are reviewing a complaint into the prize draw, can reveal that the party's Wigan branch chair – nominated by the winners – was present at the doorstep prize ceremony

Welcome to The Fête of Britain As the polls closed in Gorton and Denton on 26 February, a clearly knackered Zack Polanski on BBC Newsnight was asked about a campaign leaflet distributed by the Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin claiming that “it takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody British”. The post Welcome to The Fête of Britain appeared first on Byline Times.

🟨 Print Edition — Welcome to The Fête of Britain

As the polls closed in Gorton and Denton on 26 February, a clearly knackered Zack Polanski on BBC Newsnight was asked about a campaign leaflet distributed by the Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin claiming that “it takes more than a piece of paper…

Conservative Candidate Tells British MPs to 'Go Back to Pakistan' EXCLUSIVE: Kemi Badenoch suspends the Conservative party's candidate for North Harrow, after a Byline Times investigation uncovered a series of vile messages he posted over recent months

🔴Conservative Candidate Tells British MPs to ‘Go Back to Pakistan’

EXCLUSIVE: Kemi Badenoch suspends the Conservative party’s candidate for North Harrow, after a Byline Times investigation uncovered a series of vile messages he posted over recent months

bylinetimes.com/2026/04/13/c...

Robodebt for the environment? AI will not fix Australia’s broken environmental laws johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/robodebt-fo... #Auspol

The Orbánisation of British Politics: Farage and Braverman Headline with Hungarian Prime Minister at National Conservatism Conference NatCon Brussels is creating a network of radical right speakers from the UK, Europe and the US which often aim to roll back reproductive and sexuality rights

🔎 From the archive: The Orbánisation of British Politics: Farage and Braverman Headline with Hungarian Prime Minister at National Conservatism Conference — Karam Bales

🔁 Relevant again: Some more details of the impact of Orban on British Politics