Overview
- Tens of thousands joined parallel marches on Hungary’s national day, with Viktor Orbán’s backers holding a “peace march” and Péter Magyar leading a “national march.”
- Independent polling reported by European media shows Magyar about 10 points ahead ahead of the April 12 legislative vote.
- The Financial Times and VSquare describe a Russia‑linked Social Design Agency plan to amplify Orbán and discredit Magyar on social platforms, claims denied by Moscow and the Hungarian government.
- Magyar says he has evidence of a prepared smear effort featuring 14 AI‑generated defamatory videos, following earlier warnings about a possible fabricated sex tape that has not surfaced.
- Orbán’s campaign spotlights anti‑Ukraine themes as friction grows over the Druzhba pipeline and Hungary’s seizure of about €70 million from seven Ukrainian couriers, with Budapest also blocking an EU loan and new Russia sanctions.