Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, claims his outfit leads the ruling parties by such a margin that Viktor Orbán’s camp can only pin its hopes on a slick disinformation campaign. He alleges they have already stockpiled AI-generated videos for the task – and even let slip where the operation will launch.
Meanwhile, Orbán’s team exudes confidence, insisting they are ahead, though the prime minister confines his remarks to closed-door gatherings. He maintains, nonetheless, that Magyar and his party are bankrolled by Ukraine. Yet the election on 12 April could hinge on an entirely different front.
What we covered in this article:
Magyar warns of Orbán’s Russian-linked disinformation ‘offensive’
In a recent Facebook post, Péter Magyar signalled that the Hungarian ruling parties, in cahoots with Russia, are poised to unleash a smear campaign against their candidates and Tisza on social media – chiefly TikTok. He cites a precedent: Moscow’s successful trial run in Moldova.
Magyar claims 14 AI-crafted videos targeting him and Tisza’s Göd candidate are already in the arsenal, with the assault set to begin there. Göd hit the headlines recently over revelations that the local Samsung factory deliberately poisoned its workers for years, with the government and relevant authorities failing to act – or acting too late. The plant still operates today, albeit in reduced mode amid the battery crisis.
Are the Russians already in the fray?
Magyar has previously suggested that even rural voters will desert Orbán, with the tide turning and a rebellion brewing against the prime minister and his system, 24.hu wrote.
Journalist Szabolcs Panyi reported in his VSquare newsletter that US intelligence warned European allies of a Kremlin team dispatched to Budapest, tasked with meddling in the election to bolster Orbán. The Hungarian government insists it knows nothing of the sort. A Válasz Online podcast urges scrutiny of such claims: how credible are the sources (given past government or Panyi fibs on similar matters), and does the story itself hold water (would Moscow truly benefit from an Orbán victory)?
Orbán insists Tisza serves Ukraine and the EU
Orbán’s camp clings doggedly to the line that Tisza is funded from abroad – Ukraine, no less. They invoked a supposed “intercepted” Ukrainian cash convoy last week, hinting at Tisza links. A bill tabled yesterday could trigger an inquiry into the money and gold’s origins, purpose, and any domestic use. Magyar counters that his party runs on crowd-funded donations, taking neither domestic nor foreign cash.
Fidesz parliamentary leader Máté Kocsis has echoed Orbán’s national security concerns, affirming Ukrainian financing of Tisza. He says the intelligence services are still assessing when declassification might occur – and which parts must be redacted to safeguard ongoing operations.
Might Tisza’s hefty lead evaporate?
A Medián poll two weeks ago showed Tisza 20 points ahead among decided voters – enough for a two-thirds or even three-quarters majority. Orbán dismissed it as laughable; sure enough, the Nézőpont institute, friendly to his circle, promptly published a survey claiming a five-point Fidesz lead.
Experts concur that, with just a month to polling day, victory turns on mobilisation. Fidesz boasts vast experience and resources; Tisza’s troops are fired by enthusiasm, harder to measure or harness. All agree, though, that the side which blankets the polling stations and racks up the most handshakes will prevail come April. Fidesz may yet deploy further measures in the weeks ahead.
Missed our election coverage?
- Hulk urges Hungarians to vote a certain way in April
- Russia denies sending intelligence agents to Budapest to influence Hungarian elections
Bye bye Peter Pan, you’ve lost already if these are the tactics your resorting too. The people will vote and decide the charter of this country for the next few years very soon, the political arena is no place for cry babies or sore loosers, maybe be ‘the man’ as it says on your jacket and not a poo-pants!!!
Yeah. “Russia.” Sure. Isn’t it always “Russia”? Can you open a pack of chewing gums anymore without “Putin” jumping out of it?
The whole “Russia” scaremongering bit is really old and tired.
But more importantly, how about we look into Magyar’s “support”? How about the endless propaganda and limitless money coming in from Brussels and Kiev (sorry, “Keeyeev” or whatever)? A two-dollar bill is more authentic than that guy. Smarmy, sleazy puppet of foreign interests. Yuck.
11 football players come to participate in a championship, and what do we get?
Russian spies are already infiltrating… a football field… for a few days before they leave…
Pathetic.
When will there be a televised debate between the two party leaders? Of course, Orban is not man enough to debate Magyar so no debate. The choice for Hungarians is between a fat Russian puppet chicken called Orban and a real man called Magyar.
Orbán is not participating in debates, because he “lost” 2, that he shpuld’ve won, if the media was impartial.
He lost the first by being humiliated with “facts”.
He lost the second by being so focused on facts, that he seemed “cruel”.
The socialists and their media apparatus (at that time some were legally owned by the socialist party, not someone from it, but the socialis party as a legal entity, just to demonstrate how brazen and open they were in their manipulation) wounded him to the point, where he will no longer have a debate.
No, it’s not cowardice, it’s calculation, and paranoia, and memories of the commies framing him to be evil or dumb, whatever he says.
Hogwash. Orban is a coward because he knows that Magyar will hold him accountable for his massive corruption. You stand on your own two feet and if you can’t debate in a public forum you are not fit to be a leader of anythingl.
Besides that does anyone actually think the ‘socialists” control the media in Hungary Mark? It’s Fidesz controlled so if anything the media does everything it can to help Orban and his party. The last thing they want is a chance for Magyar to speak and for the whole public to hear it. They are cowards who cannot face truth to power.
Orbán, Dear Larry, has no motivation to debate, because, as Márk has said – it will be framed to his detriment.
Given that Orbán is leading, by 5 points in the reliable polls, it stands to reason he does not wish to risk losing it.
No, judging how Fidesz is playing their cards, I fall back on one of our football expressions … ‘They are ahead, and, that so, that are not going to take any risks – but, rather, simply run the clock out.’
Yeah…no Larry….Magyar is a people pleasing puppet, already caught up in the corrupt EU schemes. The EU is destroying Europe!! Orban is the ONLY person that understands there is no freedom without sovereignty.
Excellent comment, Dear Csilla!
A ‘real man’ does not degrade women in anyway. I would put Peter pan and Jew-lensky in the same class of Anti-hungarian agents of the dark side of poli-ticks.
Fidesz is the party of misogyny and pedofilia. They used two females Katalin Novak and Judit Varga to pardon the pedofile enabler and made them pay the price for it with their resignations.
@Kalman & Larry…
Hey, Y’all – there are no band of angels, anywhere on earth.
The election is not a virtue contest – it is battle of would-be policies and those who would, ostensibly, carry them out.
This is the problem with believing your own propaganda: You knew it was a lie… once. But you stated it so many times, you don’t think that anymore.
As much as I think Magyar is evil, he needs to think otherwise to have some sanity. So he can’t lie constantly, because that would make him evil. So the lie he knows is a lie, has to be true.
Imagine all the pain and suffering he’ll go through, when he lost the election, so his lies are proven to be in fact lies, and he is proven to be evil. I wouldn’t be in his place then.
‘Could Péter Magyar’s lead vanish due to Orbán’s alleged Russian-backed disinformation drive or the mobilisation?’
Magyar Péter does not have a lead, so, no, it cannot vanish, because it does not exist.
💯 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you for the 100%, Dear Csilla!
A UN investigation found on Tuesday that Russia’s deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022 amounted to crimes against humanity.
Ukraine says close to 20,000 children have been illegally sent to Russia and Belarus where they are sometimes subject to military training and forced to fight against their own troops.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and five other Russians over illegal deportation of children. “In this report, the Commission concluded that crimes against humanity and war crimes by Russian authorities have targeted children, who are among the most vulnerable victims,” said the report.
“The deportations and transfers have originated from various locations across a wide geographic area in Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine, following a well-established pattern of conduct, indicating that these acts have been widespread and systematic,” added the report, to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday.
It also said that Russian authorities at the highest level of government have helped co-ordinate the actions.
The UN also “found”, that there is literally nothing wrong with the USA starting a war of impreialst aggression against Iran, with no causus belli whatsoever.
Because, you know, international law is supposed to be a US weapon, and where it hurts US ambitions of world conquest, it doesn’t count.
Absolutely, Dear Márk.
The hypocrisy is huge and only the Modern Globalist Left believes in it having some sort of validity beyond that.
If it’s a choice between Orban and Orgasmic Wife Basher Peter the Commie, the clear choice is Orban! If it’s a choice between Orban and Toroczkai of Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland), the clear choice is Toroczkai and Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland)!
I totally agree, Dear Johnny!
It is remarkable how they anticipate an invalid result if Orban wins the elections, as has been done in Moldova and Romania.
Yes, Dear Tiswa – it is the same Western Elite playbook, in Hungary, as they played in Moldova and Romania.
The difference is that The Hungarian Government, and people, have proven to be tougher nuts to crack than those in Moldova and Romania.