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Fidesz’s Minister of Transport called Tisza Party’s Hungarian candidate Slovakian – UPDATE: Lázár’s “apology”
A heated political controversy has erupted in Hungary after János Lázár, the Minister of Construction and Transport, made remarks widely interpreted as questioning the nationality of a parliamentary candidate from the opposition Tisza Party.
Big mistake from Minister Lázár
The comments, delivered during a televised interview in the western Hungarian town of Sárvár, have prompted sharp condemnation from Péter Magyar, leader of Tisza, who is now demanding a public apology – or even Lázár’s withdrawal from public life.
The incident occurred during an interview broadcast on local Sárvár Television, when Lázár was asked whether a Tisza Party politician could exert pressure on him regarding road construction projects, writes Telex.
Lázár responded by saying that, in principle, anyone could approach him, as his door was open to all. However, he then added a controversial remark about one of the party’s candidates in Vas County.
Lázár stated that he had never met the female candidate in question and expressed surprise that the Tisza Party “could not find a Hungarian” and instead had nominated “a Slovak woman” in the constituency.
He went on to say that, at the very least, candidates in Hungary should be Hungarian. The comment was quickly seized upon by opposition figures and widely criticised on social media and in the press.
Strompová ironically got her Hungarian residency when Orbán was PM for the first time
In response, Péter Magyar issued a strongly worded statement clarifying that the candidate, Viktória Strompová, is a Hungarian citizen of Hungarian ethnicity. According to Magyar, Strompová grew up in Bodrogszentmária, a predominantly Hungarian-populated settlement in southern Slovakia, roughly 20 kilometres from Sátoraljaújhely.
Her great-grandparents were born in the territory of historical Hungary, and she has been living in Hungary for more than 16 years, currently residing in Sárvár.
Magyar also pointed out that Strompová received her Hungarian ID as a child during the first Orbán government, questioning why her Hungarian identity is now being challenged.
“Was she Hungarian enough then?” he asked, adding that she appears to have “become Slovak” only after standing as a Tisza Party candidate against what he described as a corrupt political system.
Péter Magyar suggests that Lázár disappear
The leader of the Tisza Party demanded that Lázár issue an immediate public apology to Strompová or “disappear from public life.” He also called on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to clarify whether such rhetoric now represents the official stance of the governing Fidesz party.
UPDATE: Lázár’s apology (?)
Following the backlash, János Lázár responded in a comment under a video shared by Viktória Strompová, issuing what he described as an apology for his remarks. The minister said the situation had been a “misunderstanding” that was now clarified, adding cryptically that “the situation has also become tisza-fied,” without explaining what he meant by the phrase (it’s something like a pun in Hungarian: “A félreértés tisztázódott – a helyzet pedig tiszásodott.”). He acknowledged that Strompová was right and expressed regret over what he called poor wording.
In his comment, Lázár congratulated Strompová on what he referred to as her “very recent Hungarian citizenship,” adding that “the country is growing.” The apology itself triggered further reactions: Péter Magyar reiterated his demand that Lázár withdraw from public life, while actor and Tisza politician Ervin Nagy said the minister’s name would now be written “in lowercase” in Upper Hungary. Strompová, in a video response, urged Lázár not to exclude Hungarians living beyond the borders from the nation, and political analyst Gábor Török described the incident as an unusually serious mistake for Fidesz, HVG writes.
Hopefully another last nail into the Fidesz coffin
Apparently, Dear Rádzs, the ‘Fidesz Coffin’ has life after death, as it is rising in the polls.
Nonesense, you can’t bring one neutral statistics that prooves that!!
It is totally the other way, Tisza is leading.
Unfortunately not. It will be a long, hard slog to oust our Politicians. Fidesz will not go out without a fight and will use every possible tool in their arsenal.
Never mind that. You have a whole slate of Russians running the Fidesz government. If you vote for Fidesz you vote for Putin and he will be quite happy when you do that. Hungary has a new Kadar dictatorship and you are once again living the happiest barracks of the Russian controlled world. Learn Russian if you want to succeed.
Okay, Dear Larry , in that case – if a Hungarian votes for Magyar Peter he is voting for Ursula van der Leyen.
In that case, if this election is between Ursula van der Leyen and Vladimir Putin, it will be Putin who wins.
He maintains a much higher approval rating.
In fact, Czar Vladimir has a consistently higher approval rating, in the U.S., than do almost all the members of Congress, and, at times, even higher than the serving president.
Please @Mouton – keep it at least a little bit real ? I have injected “Global West” – mindful of your preferences.
Recent data on Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings abroad, particularly as we approach the end of 2025, reflects a stark geopolitical divide. The perception of the Russian President varies dramatically depending on whether the population surveyed is in the “Global West” or the “Global South.”
The “Global West”: Historic Lows
In Western democracies, Putin’s ratings remain overwhelmingly negative, continuing a trend solidified by the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
United States & Canada: Approval ratings hover in the single digits or very low teens. In the U.S., Pew Research Center data from recent years consistently shows that over 90% of Americans lack confidence in Putin to do the right thing regarding world affairs.
Europe: Across major European nations like Poland, Sweden, the UK, Germany, and France, unfavorability ratings are extreme, often exceeding 85-90%. Poland and Sweden typically register the highest disapproval, often nearing universal dislike (97-98%).
Asia-Pacific Allies: Countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia mirror the sentiment found in Europe, with confidence levels in Putin staying below 15-20%.
The “Global South” and Non-Aligned Nations: A Mixed Picture
Outside the Western alliance, the picture is far more nuanced. While outright “approval” isn’t always high, there is significant neutrality or even support in specific regions.
India: Putin retains a relatively high confidence rating here. Historical ties dating back to the Soviet era, combined with ongoing defense and energy partnerships, mean that a significant portion of the Indian public (often polling between 40-50%) expresses confidence in his leadership, or at least views Russia as an essential partner.
China: Public sentiment in China is generally favorable toward Russia and Putin. This is bolstered by state media narratives that emphasize the “no limits” partnership and frame Russia as a necessary counterweight to Western hegemony.
Southeast Asia: The region is split. While countries like Singapore lean toward Western skepticism, populations in countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia often show higher confidence levels (sometimes exceeding 50%), viewing the conflict in Ukraine as a distant proxy war rather than a direct threat to their sovereignty.
Africa: Ratings here vary widely by country but are generally higher than in the West. In nations where Russian private military contractors or economic deals are prevalent (like Mali or Burkina Faso), there is localized support. However, across the continent broadly, many view Russia favorably as an alternative to former colonial powers like France and the UK.
Key Factors Influencing These Ratings – drivers explaining this sharp divergence:
Media Narratives: In the West, media coverage focuses on human rights violations and the illegality of the Ukraine invasion. In the Global South, narratives often focus on Russia challenging Western imperialism or NATO expansion, which resonates with local historical grievances.
Economic Realities: For many developing nations, Russia remains a crucial supplier of affordable grain, fertilizer, and energy. Pragmatism often overrides ideological concerns, softening disapproval ratings.
Historical Memory: The Soviet Union’s historical support for anti-colonial movements in Africa and Asia continues to pay dividends in public opinion for modern Russia.
Hope you find this useful – happy to add sources?
Hungarian views of Russian influence as “unfavourable” went from 36% in 2019 to 62% in surveys from 2024-25. Clearly Hungarians are becoming more anti-Russian and that is coinciding with Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. 70-80% of Hungarians view EU membership as beneficial. You can shove your Putin up your ass.
Hungary Vetos European Council Conclusions Supported By Other 26 On Western Balkan Enlargement
“Hungary is blocking us from reaching the Council conclusions. Attempts to find the solutions have been rejected. I very much regret this, as several member states said, it sends a wrong signal to the candidate countries. We want them to choose the EU, NOT TO CHOOSE RUSSIA” (Marie Bjerre Minister for European Affairs Denmark – Dec 17th)
Oh, sorry Larry.
I know you want Hungarians to be slaves of the Western Europeans, but we had the experience with the Habsburgs, and we didn’t like it.
But truth be told, you do provide great propaganda to Orbán. Advocating, or at least suggesting to take our rights to vote/veto, and effectively enslave us.
Do you want to know what happened to the empires that tried, what you wish for?
Well, they aren’t on the map now, are they?
I know! Hungary should go, solo – Sovereign!
Could you perhaps list the three benefits of Brexit – since the UK did make this very sovereign move? I have been asking around, however … Not much in the way of answers.
A Fidesz supporting friend of mine has a daughter who did her university thesis on the effects of Brexit on the UK. He doesn’t like to talk about her findings.
Hungary, in all that continues the commentary’s from those contributors to the subject matter of this article exampled, it is being forgotten, that Hungary, in its Spring of 2026 vote, the Victor Mihaly. Orban “idiotic” belief, what continues to come “out of his mouth” that Hungary can, into the FUTURE operate / function and GROW as a country through sovereignty and of independence principally self-supportive which if thought by Hungarians – it is our FUTURE accepting the Orban ideas and philosophy, his creeds, his dogma, his “flawed” ideology – would be Perilous for Hungary our FUTURE.
Hungary, what we have been DELIVERED over the period in time of the past (16) sixteen years, under a Fidesz led Government by Victor Mihaly. Orban – a government of greed, of selfishness that have exploited used lied to and abused millions upon millions of Hungarians that the word being a Government of Bankruptcy – nothing in the bank to Invest into the FUTURE of Hungary, any THOUGHT of us as a country believing we can in gargantuan percentage be Self-Supportive – crazed.
Growth of a country – what “feeds” into grow, makes it a probability ?
Hungary, we are an “ageing” declining in number population, that continues on, that has been the TREND monthly under the Prime Ministership of Victor Mihaly. Orban and his Fidesz Government over (16) sixteen years in Government.
Hungary, in worsening European and global times – the HUMONGOUS “fragility” of the economic and financial out-look for the FUTURE of Hungary, individually, for careers, for family, for children, for grand-children – the growing, nearing 1.2 million Hungarians that are factually living in POVERTY – the “light of the FUTURE” in HOPE for Hungary, is us “returning” to embrace be GOVERNED under DEMOCRACY.
Victor Mihaly. Orban has FAILED us individually and as a country that leaves us as a country “scarred and battered” humiliating the name of our country Hungary, through European and global loss – of trust and respect in the name of our country Hungary.
What country’s of friendships – are we “living” with in Europe and Globally ???
They are NOT governed under DEMOCRACY but under Communism / Dictatorships.
Victor Mihaly. Orban – has SOLD us Out – to countrys of Government being principally Russia and China that are a REVERSAL the exact opposite in Governance to that being a DEMOCRACY.
Hungary – the FUTURE is in our Hands come Spring of 2026 that in the time left to our VOTE – the vote that centers on the FUTURE of Hungary, we will see from Victor Mihaly. Orban and his Fidesz Government, his “inner sanctum” – the Oligarchy, growing fabrications of truth, that are “drowned” smothered in lies painting a FALSENESS of what the future under Victor Mihaly. Orban and his “Mob” are offering Hungarians in our millions and our country Hungary.
Victor Mihaly. Orban – the name Fidesz have NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, nothing to contribute offer nor make to the Future of Hungary – Nothing.