Martin Šaro
Hungary will hold parliamentary elections in April. The ruling FIDESZ party and its leader Viktor Orbán face a challenger: Péter Magyar and his movement TISZA, often described as pro-Brussels.
Magyar, currently a Member of the European Parliament, has shaken Hungarian politics over the past two years with sharp criticism of the very government and party he once belonged to. Until recently, he was largely unknown to the wider public. Who is this man now challenging Orbán’s dominance?
Background and Career
Magyar comes from a traditional Christian family with Calvinist and Catholic roots. His family is considered prominent; it has also been linked to former Hungarian President Ferenc Mádl.
According to Hungarian sources, Magyar is a trained lawyer, political activist, and politician. Yet his public life has been marked by controversy.
Early Political Activity
During the 2006 Budapest unrest, Magyar offered free legal representation to individuals alleging police violence and founded a foundation for this purpose.
That same year he married Judit Varga, also a lawyer. Both were members of FIDESZ.
Brussels Years
In 2009 the couple moved to Brussels. From 2010 onward, Magyar held several positions, including heading the EU legal representation of the Hungarian Development Bank. They remained there for nine years.
In 2019 they returned to Hungary, where Varga became Minister of Justice. Reports of marital difficulties surfaced in 2021, though initially denied. The divorce became official in 2023 and was accompanied by allegations of domestic violence, which Magyar has rejected.
The Turning Point in 2024
In February 2024, Magyar released a secretly recorded audio conversation with his then-wife. The recording concerned a controversial presidential pardon granted in April 2023 by President Katalin Novák to Endre Kónya, a deputy director of a state children’s home accused of covering up sexual abuse. The pardon had also been signed by Varga as Justice Minister.
The scandal triggered mass protests. President Novák resigned on 10 February 2024, followed by Varga’s resignation the same day.
Break with FIDESZ
Shortly afterward, Magyar resigned from his positions in state-owned companies. He declared that the government’s narrative of a “national, sovereign, civic Hungary” had become a political brand used to mask corruption and favoritism.
Political Assessment
Observers describe Magyar as politically unpredictable. Critics argue he lacks a coherent ideological profile, instead drawing from mainstream European and transatlantic rhetoric.
His party sits within the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament, though tensions have arisen over certain votes.
Foreign Policy Outlook
If Magyar were to become prime minister, dramatic changes in Hungary’s Ukraine policy appear unlikely. His electorate remains skeptical about NATO troop deployments or rapid EU enlargement involving Ukraine.
However, Hungary’s EU policy could shift closer to the EPP mainstream, particularly regarding migration.
Challenges
Magyar enjoys less support among ethnic Hungarians living abroad, especially in Slovakia, Ukraine, and Transylvania. Allegations related to his private life may also influence female voters.
Some polls show TISZA leading; others suggest Orbán maintains a 7–8% advantage.
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