The truth is out there – conspiracy theories in Hungary and why some believe them

From aliens and 5G towers to vaccines and chemtrails, conspiracy theories have permeated almost every aspect of contemporary society, often spreading like wildfire on some recesses of the internet. Here is a look at some statistics from Hungary that illustrate what sort of conspiracy theories have found fertile breeding ground in the country.

What are conspiracy theories?

The European Commission defines conspiracy theories (CTs) as narratives that explain events as the products of the secret machinations of powerful, malevolent groups. CTs divide the world into good and bad, scapegoating some individuals or groups as the source of evil: historical events are the results of these bad people plotting in secret.

CTs are popular as they give simple answers to complex problems. In times of uncertainty or crisis, they provide a sense of control. It is much easier, for example, to comprehend the so-called Great Replacement Theory (the idea that global elites are planning to replace white populations by moving migrants into Europe), than to consider the infinitely complex political, social, and economic factors that drive international migration.

Some popular contemporary conspiracy theories in Hungary

Recently, Telex published an article detailing how anti-vaxx parents are suing their GPs, because the doctors are not willing to issue a health certificate that would allow them to refuse mandatory childhood vaccines. Such rejection of modern medicine is often based on conspiracy theories.

Indeed, a part of Hungarian society was a great sceptic of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pénzcentrum wrote that Hungary was the 4th most sceptical country in Europe when it came to the pandemic: a significant number of people thought the dangers of the coronavirus were overestimated, and out of 20 European countries, Hungary had the most people who believed that lockdowns caused more harm than good.

Political Capital analysed conspiracy theories and disinformation in the country in several representative studies. In 2018, they found that 41% of Hungarians thought that “events that seem independent of each other are often the result of secret activities.”

Over one-third of people thought that Jewish people wanted to rule the world for which they had secret agreements in place, and 45% believed that “Muslim leaders have a secret plan to take over Europe and turn it into an Arab continent.”

42% agreed that “pharmaceutical companies are hiding the antidote to diseases from us” in 2018. In 2023, researchers of Political Capital found that 39% of those surveyed thought that the statement “Pfizer’s internal documents prove that many people died because of their vaccination against the coronavirus”, was at least partially true.

16 and 19% of the respondents thought that it was, respectively, certain, or rather true, that “left-wing liberal forces are trying to destroy Christianity and nation-states in Europe”. Among Fidesz voters, more than half agreed that this statement was at least somewhat true.

The statement that “the Russian secret service has incriminating evidence against Viktor Orbán, with which they blackmail the Prime Minister” was considered at least somewhat true by almost one-third of all respondents. 10 and 8% of Fidesz members thought that this was definitely or rather true, while 26 and 16% of the opposition held these opinions.

Studies have shown that conspiracy beliefs “stack ”. That is, those who believe in one CT are likely to believe in others, as well. This is the case in Hungary, too, where in 2022, studies found that Covid-scepticism was closely correlated with believing in Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine.

Of those who agreed that the coronavirus was the work of a background power, 76% agreed with the statement that Ukraine is a Nazi country. Telex also highlighted that the COVID and pro-Russian conspiracy theories were mainly accepted among Mi Hazánk and Fidesz voters.

At the same time, Political Capital writes that “a significant number of Hungarians are receptive to disinformation about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 27% believe the most common disinformation narratives about Ukraine’s role and responsibility, and 22% believe those related to the United States.”

Overall, party preferences define what CTs people believe. Fidesz voters are more likely to believe anti-Muslim, anti-West, and anti-Soros CTs, while those on the opposition side believe CTs that target the Orbán government. Only the far-right Mi Hazánk voters were susceptible to almost any conspiracy theory.

Indeed, in 2018, Deutsche Welle called Hungary “Europe’s conspiracy champion” in an interview with Péter Krekó, a Hungarian scholar of CTs. Krekó explained to the magazine how after the 2015 refugee crisis, conspiracy theories became part of the official government narrative.

The Orbán government churned out propaganda that Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros had a plan to bring masses of migrants to Europe. As a consequence, in Hungary, we are now dealing with a situation where CTs are not just on the political fringes. Instead, the government itself spreads them as official policy.

How to spot conspiracy theories?

Here is the difficulty: real conspiracies do exist. Assassinations, political coups, and cover-ups of political scandals are all real-life conspiracies.

The European Commission gives this example: “In 2006, the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. (USA) ruled that major cigarette companies were guilty of conspiracy. For decades, they had hidden evidence of health risks attached to smoking to promote higher sales.”

However, Péter Krekó also asserts that “conspiracy theories are gaining traction all across the globe.”

“That has a lot to do with the prevailing mood of the day, which shows how little trust people have in international institutions and how changes in our world lead people to believe the craziest theories about their causes. We are dealing with a global crisis of confidence.”

Indeed, Political Capital found that “the majority of the respondents (59%) agreed to some extent with the statement that objective reality does not exist, there are only different opinions.” We are living in a world, it seems, where basic truths about facts and reality are up for debate.

As such, it is worth looking at what individuals can do to effectively identify CTs in their lives. The European Commission shares these three tips to help you decide if you are dealing with a conspiracy theory:

1. Check the author: who is writing what you are reading and what is their goal?
2. Check the source: is it reliable and reputable? Has it been confirmed by independent fact-checking?
3. Check the style and tone of what you are reading: is it balanced, objective, and thorough?

Read also:

• What will Chinese police officers do in Hungary? Here is the government’s answer
• Fidesz: Brussels is blackmailing us

Featured image: depositphotos.com