PM Orbán’s main challenger on the 2026 elections, Péter Magyar, held 1st state of the nation speech – PHOTOS, UPDATED
“The fight is on for an independent, free and liveable Hungary,” Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza Party, told a rally in Budapest on Saturday, adding that “more and more people are joining Tisza’s community as they see the nicer face of Hungary and carry on building it”.
The Orbán plan
“The past one year was about the fight between light and darkness,” Magyar said at the event dubbed “Back to Europe”. “Our policy is based on a love for our homeland”,” he said, adding that his followers “are bonded by love, pride and taking responsibility”. “Hungary can only be freed from its burdens and steered into the right direction only along those values,” Magyar added.
He likened the current political system governed by Fidesz to a “torpedo that aims to sink Hungary’s ship”. “We must block the Orbán plan that aims to push the country into further debt, allow the privatisation of state-run public health care, and raise the retirement age”.
Tisza, Magyar said, “is not just a political party, it represents hope for many millions of Hungarians wanting to see change, it is an umbrella under which all Hungarian people who believe that change is possible, can find their place”. “”Tisza itself is the new Hungary.”
Magyar announced his program
The party, if elected into power, will work for an independent judiciary, for “retaining all stolen state assets and re-opening the [communist regime’s] secret service agent files,” the party leader said, adding they would also immediately join the European Prosecutors’ Office and adopt rigorous anti graft measures.
Magyar also pledged to set up a pensioners’ service centre, maintain the 13th month pension and introduce pension supplements, and build retirement homes and rehabilitation institutes with state and EU funding. “We will improve the life conditions for pensioners by 50 percent,” said Magyar.
He also pledged “to bring home EU resources” and pursue a predictable economy policy which would ensure “a cheaper financing of the state debt from the market”. EU resources will also be used to support SMEs and family farmers and entrepreneurs, he said. New business will be helped by tax exemptions and cutting red tape, Magyar said, adding that a so-called stability fund would also be set up.
Education, taxation, development
A wealth increase tax levied on assets worth over 10 billion forints (EUR 25m) is also planned, he said, adding that a system audit over wealth increase would be introduced against leading politicians including state secretaries, ministers as well as the prime minister and “his family members”. Tisza also plans to set up a stand-alone Rural Development Ministry, the party leader said. Budget resources to finance state health-care will be increased by 500 billion forints and a stand-alone ministry to oversee the sector will also be set up, he said.
Magyar pledged a competitive and accessible-to-all education system under which schools and teachers will regain their autonomy with the area also getting an own ministry. He said that universities and research institutes would have their autonomy restored.
“There will be consequent representatives of Hungarian interests in the European Union,” he said, pledging rigorous and consistent action against illegal migration. “We will maintain the border fence and will never let convicted people smugglers leave prison.” “Hungarians are standing by Europe today, they would like to belong to Europe,” the party leader said at the rally.
‘For us Hungary comes first, for Péter Magyar Brussels’, says Fidesz
Ruling Fidesz said on Saturday that “for us Hungary comes first”, but for opposition Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar Brussels is first. Fidesz said in a statement that Magyar had no principles and he was always “rubbing up against” those that paid him.
“He is a liar. When he was getting paid by Fidesz, he was praising the government, and he would sit in the front row at Viktor Orbán’s state of the nation speeches,” the statement said. “Now that Manfred Weber has become his ally, Weber maintains his right of immunity, and he receives money from there, he praises Brussels,” it added. “Péter Brussels betrays anybody. His family, his community and his homeland. We must protect ourselves against the Weber-servant Peter Brussels!”.
Tisza might not have a programme but those behind it have one, Orbán government says
The opposition Tisza party might not have a programme but those that stand behind it certainly have one, and the European People’s Party flags at a recent Tisza rally demonstrated where to look, an MEP of ruling Fidesz said on Sunday.
Csaba Dömötör said on Facebook that Saturday’s Tisza Party event dubbed Back to Europe featured “so many EPP logos that we had never seen before”. “They did not even try to sweep it under the carpet that the whole thing ran under the political sponsorship of [EPP leader] Manfred Weber and his team,” he added.
“We found out from Peter Magyar’s delegation leader that it’s not worth waiting for a government programme this time from them because it is others preparing it,” he said. Dömötör added that people who had developed their policies from the programmes and expectations of others had never managed to gain a majority in Hungary.
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