Orbán campaigns with AI video: Von der Leyen “gives orders” in Hungarian to Péter Magyar in a fictional scene

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has released a new AI-generated campaign video targeting opposition leader Péter Magyar, portraying him as taking instructions from Brussels ahead of Hungary’s 12 April parliamentary election.

The video, shared by Orbán on Facebook, openly presents a fictional scenario created using artificial intelligence. In it, Ursula von der Leyen is shown speaking Hungarian and calling Magyar on a red landline phone, instructing him to send financial support to Ukraine. The scene is stylised with heavy rain and lightning, evoking a dark, cinematic atmosphere reminiscent of Sin City.

Orbán’s message to voters

In the AI-generated clip, the digitally created version of Magyar responds that “first the election must be won, then everything is possible.” The narrator concludes the video with the line: “Péter cannot say no to them.”

Orbán added his own political message to the post, writing:

“For now, this is only the work of artificial intelligence, but after 12 April, following a bad decision, it could become reality.”

The comment clearly links the fictional scenario to the upcoming election, framing the video as a warning to voters about the potential consequences of a change in government.

Not the first use of AI in negative campaigning

This is not the first time Orbán and the governing Fidesz have used AI-generated content in political messaging. In recent months, artificial intelligence has increasingly appeared in negative campaign materials aimed at discrediting political opponents.

Unlike covert deepfake content, the video does not hide the fact that it was created using AI. Instead, it uses the technology deliberately as a political communication tool, blending satire, warning and attack messaging.

Questions over political advertising on Meta platforms

The video appears amid growing scrutiny of how pro-government actors advertise on Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Several media reports have documented cases in which Fidesz-linked advertisers, including the Fidesz parliamentary group, placed content that appeared non-political on the surface but effectively functioned as political advertising. This practice may conflict both with Meta’s internal rules and with European Union transparency regulations.

Examples cited in recent reports include:

• 17 out of 85 ads linked to the Fidesz parliamentary group allegedly bypassing Meta’s filters,
• extensive use of short-form videos (Reels) that were not initially labelled as political content,
• advertisements linked to Hungary’s parliamentary administration appearing as recently as January 2026, featuring Orbán quotes.

EU rules and platform bans

The controversy is heightened by the fact that, from October 2025, the European Union introduced stricter transparency rules on political advertising. In response, both Meta and Google chose to ban political ads entirely within the EU, rather than comply with the new framework.

For Fidesz — which previously spent large sums on online political advertising — this shift has significantly reduced traditional campaign options, pushing political messaging toward alternative and legally contested formats.

Critics argue that these practices undermine both EU regulations and platform rules, while Hungarian authorities have so far taken no decisive action against potential violations.

A larger campaign against Brussels

The AI video is part of a wider negative campaign launched by the Hungarian government against the European Commission and domestic political opponents. Observers note that such state-backed campaigns are unusual by international standards.

By comparison, even in highly polarised environments such as the United States, governments do not typically fund multi-billion-dollar billboard and media campaigns against sitting President Trump, foreign leaders or institutions.

As we wrote earlier, the court ruling deals further blow to Fidesz campaign, Tisza leader Magyar claims.

Péter Magyar’s response

Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, responded sharply to the video.

In a social media post, he accused Orbán of misleading voters with “fake videos” and claimed the prime minister was once again violating legal and platform rules. Magyar described Orbán as a “petty fraudster” who, in his words, “would be immediately excluded from any fair competition.”

Magyar announced that he would initiate legal proceedings and urged supporters to report Orbán’s post to Meta. He encouraged users to submit takedown requests on grounds such as data protection, defamation or other legal violations.

In a sarcastic remark, Magyar suggested that Orbán should instead record an “original version” of the video featuring Vladimir Putin, arguing that such a scenario would be far more authentic.

AI and the 2026 campaign

As Hungary moves deeper into the election campaign, the use of artificial intelligence in political messaging is raising serious questions about ethics, regulation and democratic standards.

While the video is openly fictional, its emotional impact and visual realism underline how AI is becoming an increasingly powerful — and controversial — tool in modern political communication.

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