HR
NL
FR
JA
RO
RU
ES
TR
Is it really that bad? PM Orbán’s successor already being sized up – and the frontrunner may surprise many
According to the latest Publicus Institute poll, Fidesz’s base would not crumble if Viktor Orbán were not the prime ministerial candidate in April. Such a scenario once surfaced before the party’s 2006 election drubbing, and only recently Péter Magyar speculated that János Lázár could head a prospective coalition government. Yet the fresh survey suggests Lázár remains distinctly unloved.
Lázár says Roma should clean the trains
Péter Magyar wrote earlier this week of János Lázár – once touted as Orbán’s intra-party rival – as a potential prime minister in a Fidesz-Mi Hazánk coalition. Magyar argued that Lázár’s remarks about treating Hungary’s Roma community as a labour reserve for jobs shunned by ethnic Hungarians, such as cleaning trains (with migrants in short supply), were no accident. The comments have since taken on a life of their own, drawing fierce criticism even from Roma figures close to Fidesz – including the singer Kis Grófo.
The Transport and Construction Minister has spent months touring the country with his so-called “Lázárinfos”, fielding questions from all and sundry, jotting down notes to assist those who approach him, and addressing audiences at events. The Roma remarks, decried by many as offensive, emerged during one such session. One might assume this relentless grassroots presence gives Lázár an unassailable edge among party faithful. Publicus, however, finds otherwise.
Orbán insists succession is not on the agenda
A representative poll commissioned by Népszava has gone so far as to gauge whether Fidesz voters would stick together if Orbán stepped aside – and, if so, whom they would prefer at the helm. Talk of the prime minister standing down has bubbled in the press amid polls showing Tisza’s commanding lead. In such straits, many reckon Orbán would rather let someone else take the blame. His official statements contradict this: he has ruled out a presidential system and deems himself Fidesz’s best leader for now.
That said, he has name-checked potential successors, including Lázár, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, former president János Áder, and central bank governor Mihály Varga. Succession chatter was unheard of during past elections, marking a novelty after 16 years of near-unbroken two-thirds majorities.
A far more popular Orbán heir than Lázár
Publicus detects a clear frontrunner: among Fidesz supporters, 39 per cent would back Szijjártó as prime minister if Orbán bowed out, against a mere 12 per cent for Lázár. Szijjártó leads even in the general population, followed by “someone else”, Varga, and Lázár in fourth.
Notably, 55 per cent of all respondents believe Orbán is fatigued after 16 years in power, and it is time for a change. Absent Orbán, his backers would rally almost en bloc behind Fidesz’s orange-ticket candidates and lists, with defections at just 1-2 per cent.
If you missed our latest articles concerning the 2026 general elections:
- Péter Magyar: János Lázár to be Fidesz prime ministerial candidate in place of PM Orbán
- PM Orbán sweats as polls tighten – but Péter Magyar can’t relax either
I think Fidesz, or, at least, it’s success, is not only a creation of the singular genius of Orbán Viktor, it is the result of a peculiar moment in time when the Hungarian Nation made it’s transition from an occupied and sequestered nation to one of great and controversial public profile.
What comes next will not be Tisza, Momentrum, or DK, but, whatever it will be, it will also not be Fidesz.
Yet, we are getting ahead of ourselves, for we are still deep in the era of Orbán, and so it shall remain, or at least, until age impairs him, for I see no imminent sign of his departure.
Wow! What a surprise!
And I believed the Liberal Media, that Orbán is a corrupt dictator with a personality cult, and one step away from concentration camps.
No, I’m not that stupid.
But still, I would’ve said, that at some point you need to reconcile these obvious contradictions.
But then the liberals became too stupid to understand the concept of a woman, so I did make a mistake imagining, that the average liberal has more intelligence then my dog, it seems. Because my dog understand the difference, and only obeys men. (I don’t know why though)
So who knows, maybe the liberals are too stupid to understand, that if he is a dictator with a personality cult, he shouldn’t be that easily replaced? Or if he is replaceable, he is not a dictator?
I’m expecting too much from them again, am I?
‘I’m expecting too much from them again, am I?’
Yes, you are expecting too much, Dear Mark.
Modern Liberals, even the most educated and intelligent of them, do not connect the dots.
No, they are lost in some illogical vortex.
Meet the new boss – same as the old boss. It just means continued decline in living standards relative to the EU, more stagnation, more corruption, more crumbling of public services, high public debt and economic crisis. Hungarian have to get themselves out of the hole they find themselves in and that means getting rid of these corrupt, incompetent Russian stooges.
Yes, Dear Larry – things will go on in Hungary exactly the same … until either more people decide to vote for Mi Hazánk, or a new, non-Bruxelles, Left party forms that can credibly speak to the interest of Rural Hungarians.
Mouton, Mi házank !!!!!!!!
such an idiot bot!
I see Lazar has really helped Fidesz to corner the Roma vote only three months prior to the election. Toilet brushes are becoming quite popular these days. Mi Hazank is full of an even lower form of homo sapiens devoted to racism. Lazar would fit right in there. Jobbik was the precusor to the Mi Hazank Neanderthals. Look up the story of Szegedi Csanad who was one of the leading politicians in that far right movement. He was famous for his anti-Semitic diatribes until he found out that he himself was Jewish and his grandmother was a survivor of Auschwitz. He publicly announced his heritage, quit Jobbik and obtained thousands of copies of his anti-Semitic book and burned them,. He adopted the name Dovid, wore a kippah, learnt Hebrew, visited Israel, and had himself circumcised. Szegedi now lives as a practicing Jew, observing the Sabbath and attending synagogue. He gives speeches to students about the evils of intolerance that the members of Mi Hazank should attend to learn something.
Before i moved to budapest – knew little about EU. I used to watch DW and France24 engllsh and saw Schiznaro as one of the most impressive leaders of the EU members – never dreaming i would move to hungary.