Viktor Orbán's early political career was defined by his role in the Hungarian democratic opposition and his leadership of the Federation of Young Democrats. In 1988, he was a key figure in organizing a demonstration in Budapest that called for free elections and greater political freedoms. He was first elected to parliament in 1990 and quickly rose through the ranks of the Hungarian Democratic Forum, serving as the party's chairman from 1993 to 2000. Orbán became Prime Minister of Hungary in 1998, following a landslide victory for his conservative Fidesz party. During his first term in office, Orbán pursued a program of economic liberalization and introduced a series of reforms aimed at modernizing Hungary's political and economic institutions.