Hungarian opposition leader Magyar vows to pull Hungary back toward the West in campaign launch (apnews.com)
from breakfastmtn@piefed.ca to world@lemmy.world on 17 Feb 2026 03:07
https://piefed.ca/c/world/p/530852/hungarian-opposition-leader-magyar-vows-to-pull-hungary-back-toward-the-west-in-campaign-la

Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar is launching his election campaign and says he can return Hungary to a stronger European path.

Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar launched his party’s election campaign in Budapest on Sunday, vowing to restore Hungary’s Western orientation just eight weeks before he faces Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a pivotal vote.

Magyar, a former insider in Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party, burst onto Hungary’s political scene in 2024 after breaking with his political community and quickly forming the center-right Tisza party.

After taking around 30% of the vote in European Parliament elections in June 2024, he has grown Tisza into the most formidable political force Orbán has faced during his 16 years at Hungary’s helm. Most independent polls show Tisza with a significant lead before the April 12 vote, an advantage which has held steady for more than a year.

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Buffalox@lemmy.world on 17 Feb 2026 03:56 next collapse

I think if Orban is reelected that Hungary will need to leave EU.

myrmidex@belgae.social on 17 Feb 2026 08:29 next collapse

I think, over time, the other countries will gradually move closer to Orban.

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 17 Feb 2026 09:20 next collapse

Lol

auv_guy@programming.dev on 17 Feb 2026 09:55 collapse

No? Why should they?

myrmidex@belgae.social on 17 Feb 2026 11:04 collapse

Should? Not talking about should here. Instead of pushing off against extreme right, the EU is inviting it in even more.

On February 2 and 3 the EU parliament hosted the VII Transatlantic Summit, a conference organized by the Political Network for Values together with the far-right Patriots for Europe and ECR groups. Under the guise of ‘free speech,’ speakers openly defended Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law (which prescribes the death penalty), mocked transgender people, and railed against conversion therapy bans — all from inside the European Parliament itself. The event featured US groups like the Heritage Foundation and Alliance Defending Freedom alongside far-right MEPs. Critically, an EPP member — Slovenian MEP Branko Grims — also participated, meaning the centre-right party that claims to uphold the cordon sanitaire was lending its legitimacy to the proceedings. The European Parliament later distanced itself, but the damage was done: homophobia got a free platform in the heart of European democracy.

A summary of a Dutch article. Seems our European newspapers feel ill-at-ease reporting on this. The closest English one would be this: globalextremism.org/…/weaponizing-free-speech-aga…

Buffalox@lemmy.world on 18 Feb 2026 11:13 collapse

speakers openly defended Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law

I seriously doubt that, also weird it doesn’t which speakers said what.

myrmidex@belgae.social on 18 Feb 2026 18:22 collapse

Amid the controversy surrounding her appearance as a speaker at the European Parliament, Akello publicly defended the Anti-Homosexuality Act during her intervention. “It wasn’t about killing any homosexual. No, it was about protecting our children who were being coerced, who were being forced into homosexual activities,” she said, in a speech that was met with applause from attendees. Akello was introduced by a MEP from the Spanish far-right party Vox, who described her presence in the European Parliament as an “honor.”

Buffalox@lemmy.world on 18 Feb 2026 20:43 collapse

The existence of nutcases in Hungary is in no way a sign that EU is “inviting” it in, even if some religious nutcase backs it up.
This is not a trend, but purely anecdotal.

myrmidex@belgae.social on 18 Feb 2026 21:04 collapse

The event is organised by Stephen Bartulica, Member of the European Parliament, President of the ECR Working Group on Freedom of Speech and President of the Political Network for Values, in cooperation with the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and the Patriots for Europe Group.

You can try to reduce it as much as you want, but those are big fractions in the parliament. This is not an Orban-only thing.

Tollana1234567@lemmy.today on 17 Feb 2026 08:41 next collapse

orban did say the EU is the enemy and not russia.

x00z@lemmy.world on 18 Feb 2026 11:10 collapse

But how will Orban steal all the money then?

homes@piefed.world on 17 Feb 2026 05:04 next collapse

Good luck on surviving until election day!

AI_toothbrush@lemmy.zip on 17 Feb 2026 10:25 collapse

Well theyve already leaked the legal name, age and address of his top 100000 or so supporters and also recorded him having sex woth his ex so they really are going down the russian path.

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 17 Feb 2026 16:33 collapse

Sounds like the kind of virile leader Hungary needs today!

Dicska@lemmy.world on 18 Feb 2026 10:41 collapse

While some others might think otherwise (and who am I to condemn someone I don’t even know personally), as another determined Magyar (ehh, I mean the guy) voter, I sense an overwhelmingly strong smell of narcissism, demagogy and vulnerability in him. After all, he used to be a faithful Fidesz party member up until he lost access to the honeypot.

At the moment, he is still our only hope and beacon of light before the elections in April, because the rest of the candidates are either complete underdogs or (even more) awful politicians, and after almost 16 years, he is the first one who has an actual chance to break Fidesz’s spell. We need to vote him, it’s a no-brainer.

But, unfortunately, he is rather far from being the impeccable Bicycle Repair Man some would like to see him as.

MirrorGiraffe@piefed.social on 18 Feb 2026 10:58 next collapse

Unexpected monty python reference!

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 18 Feb 2026 11:27 collapse

i get you. i imagine at this point it’s anyone but Orban to even have a chance at a future.

starchylemming@lemmy.world on 17 Feb 2026 06:28 next collapse

the Name

Peter Magyar ?

isn’t that like

Hans Deutsch? Johnny English?

ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world on 17 Feb 2026 06:48 next collapse

Hungarian here. Yes.

AI_toothbrush@lemmy.zip on 17 Feb 2026 10:22 collapse

I love it when they put “Peter the hungarian” in memes, it makes it sound like hes some old nomadic clan leader.

Ladislawgrowlo@lemy.lol on 17 Feb 2026 10:43 collapse

Marco Rubio supports Orban. Trump supports Orban. That is all you need to know.

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 18 Feb 2026 11:26 next collapse

Putin supports Orban.

Ladislawgrowlo@lemy.lol on 18 Feb 2026 22:07 collapse

Putin supports Trump.

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 18 Feb 2026 22:15 collapse

they all need to go.

Ladislawgrowlo@lemy.lol on 18 Feb 2026 22:28 collapse

There are many more of their kind “Reform UK, AfD, Front Nationale” and more to fill their place in the west. I am pessimistic.

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 18 Feb 2026 22:52 collapse

it’s all the same hydra, heavily supported by Russia. keep fighting. they aren’t the majority.

Ladislawgrowlo@lemy.lol on 18 Feb 2026 22:59 collapse

Imo Elon Musk has given more Money and Influence by buying X to this Project than Russia could ever give.

_Nico198X_@europe.pub on 19 Feb 2026 00:24 collapse

he’s also influenced by Russia

MajorasTerribleFate@lemmy.zip on 18 Feb 2026 23:08 collapse

All we need to know, so far. One imagines a powerful, charismatic, and terrifying world leader in a powerful enough country could be a real threat to the “fascist old guard”, and they would much prefer an Orban there to that.