Ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary elections on April 12, 2026, political parties deployed aggressive domestic disinformation campaigns and fabricated narratives to sway voters. While Russian election interference operations were also active, experts noted that at least 90% of the disinformation originated domestically, primarily driven by Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party to counter opposition challenger Peter Magyar. To bypass strict advertising restrictions on mainstream social media platforms, campaigns relied on private Facebook groups, AI-generated videos, and to spread propaganda. Despite these deceptive efforts, Magyar’s Tisza party ultimately secured a landmark two-thirds majority in parliament, ending Orbán’s 16-year tenure.
Date: April 13, 2026. Source: Euronews