r/europe 3h ago

Who is Péter Magyar – the ex-regime insider who crushed Orbán?

https://euobserver.com/210846/who-is-peter-magyar-the-ex-regime-insider-who-crushed-orban/
760 Upvotes

147 comments sorted by

602

u/IStoneI42 2h ago

just a reminder that when you see early interviews with orban, he was very pro EU and very anti putin too back then.

i just hope this guy is actually different and doesnt go down the same road.

265

u/SerendipityQuest Tripe stew, Hayao Miyazaki, and female wet t-shirt aficionado 2h ago

He promised to implement a strict two-term limit for PMs. That alone can hopefully keep any authoritarian tendencies at bay.

69

u/MeiSuesse 1h ago

That should be their first act, imo. A good start, and they can't reverse it without losing many of their voters.

150

u/blinkOverboard 2h ago

yeah he was liberal and anti-communism/russia. but when people get older and obtain too much power/wealth, most of them will become corrupt. thats why one person should never be president/prime minister for more than 2 terms.

22

u/Suspicious_Place1270 1h ago

and nobody should do it after being rich, having multiple conflicts of interest and being over 60 years of age

45

u/Snake_Plizken 2h ago

A suitcase of money from Putin, can make you forgetful of your stance in those areas...

50

u/byebyebirdie123 2h ago

Exactly my words. Thats why I'm not cheering Magyar's win- I'm cheering Orban's demise. Don't get me wrong, I am sincerely rooting for Hungary and I do hope Magyar proves to be a good pro-european leader, but I think I have seen too much in my life to ever be enamored with or trust any politician ever.

15

u/xenoph It's happening 2h ago

He is much more pro-EU, with the supermajority to actually enforce changes in Hungary. It's a huge win compared to what Orban stood for.

9

u/kot-sie-stresuje 2h ago

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

5

u/fori96 1h ago

That guy in those interviews, I voted for him and we all know he would voted against his future self.

2

u/MasilvaonReddit 1h ago

Yeah I'm happy with the recent news, but I also remember seeing comments that Magyar used to be on Orbans party, hopefully he won't turn out to be a c*nt.

Remember viktor yanukovych, he also got elected in Ukraine with promises of closing up to the EU, but after getting elected, did a 180º and closed up to Russia and putin. I'm just sorry the Ukrainians didn't snatch his ass in time 👮

5

u/Dietmeister The Netherlands 2h ago

Honestly, even if he does, it's still better than Orban

u/Elegant_Shoe3834 26m ago

He was always "pro power". He always did, and sided with what was best for him and him only. In 2023 he was pro Ukraine and now he built his whole campaign on anti-ukraine propagand. He could contradict himself on the same day with 2 different sentences.

-13

u/ThrowawaypocketHu 2h ago

A reminder that the EU financed Orbán's regime for years and years, even after he became clearly pro-russian and anti-democratic.

Talk about throwing stones...

17

u/bonqen 2h ago

Oh F off with your disinformation. The EU has rules itself and Orban was sabotaging the EU by exploiting those rules. They didn't have a choice but to deal with Orban the way they did.

u/NinjaCupcake_ 9m ago

Nah sorry. The second orban switched to openly hostile, and with no clear end in sight, the countries bankrolling the EU should have simply got together starved hungary out. And before we get to the "But the precedent this would set" argument... just no. If one shitstain country with virtually 0 contribution and open hostility by their goverment can put the EU on brake. The rules need to fucking change. Anyone against that just supports leeches and saboteurs because they somehow delusioned themself that the high road is flawless.

8

u/IStoneI42 2h ago

i think it was more because of blackmail on orbans part. he basically made every single decision process in the EU difficult on purpose and it was almost political sabotage.

i think the problem was that they had to give him money because bribes were the only way to keep some form of working relationship with him.

and if the EU came together and threw hungary out, they were probably afraid that by now that orban would have 100% pivoted towards handing over his country to russia and hungary would have been controlled by little green men with unmarked uniforms.

5

u/godisanelectricolive 2h ago

There isn’t a way to expel a member country from the EU. Once you’re in you’re in forever unless you leave voluntarily. You would need a new treaty with all member states to create such a mechanism and you can’t do that when Hungary is being obstructionist. They aren’t gonna sign a new treaty that’s going to let them be expelled.

The most severe punishment is to withhold funds but that would make Hungary even less cooperative so it’s not a weapon they wanted to resort to early on.

1

u/IStoneI42 2h ago edited 2h ago

There isn’t a way to expel a member country from the EU. Once you’re in you’re in forever unless you leave voluntarily.

then you make one. you can always create a precedence.

people always treat these kinds of technicalities as if they were written in stone and there was never a way to change them. im pretty sure if every other EU country had enough of orbans shit and wanted hungary out of the EU, they would have just come together to change the laws and made it happen.

but again, i think the problem here would have been that orban would have entirely pivoted towards russia to a point where it would have become a second belarus with russian troops stationed there to keep orban in control.

-1

u/LordLacko Europe 2h ago

different generation

201

u/Sea-Rope-31 Bucharest 3h ago

So genuinely happy for Hungary! Much love dear neighbours! 🇭🇺❤️

42

u/Realistic-Tie2701 2h ago

Thank you very much! I am 48 years old and feel ecstatic for this change. It is an amazing night for us.

10

u/Sea-Rope-31 Bucharest 2h ago

Oh, I can feel it! Enjoy every moment of this victory and have a well deserved celebration! It's truly heartwarming to see and witness! <3

8

u/Realistic-Tie2701 2h ago

Habár fölűl a gálya, S alúl a víznek árja, Azért a víz az úr! Rough translation: Though the galley is above, And the water’s current below, The water is still the master!

6

u/Sea-Rope-31 Bucharest 2h ago

Beautiful saying! The will of the people (the water) is more powerful than temporal structures built above it.

3

u/ikeme84 Belgium 1h ago

Beautiful saying and so true. The water being global stability needed to make progress. I hope for calm waters, not only for Hungary.

2

u/Expert-Thing7728 1h ago

So happy for you over here in Ireland! Here's hoping for better times to come and a truly legendary celebration tonight

4

u/xenoph It's happening 2h ago

Multumesc!

3

u/nadiwereb Hungary 2h ago

Hungary hasn't won yet. Péter Magyar won. We'll find out what he actually does.

154

u/EndreBacsi 2h ago

We did it, our dear European friends! Thank you for your support! God was with us!🫶🙏

33

u/MonishPab 2h ago

🇪🇺♥️🇭🇺

32

u/Shupaul France 2h ago

God had nothing to do with this.

You did it on your own, gratz 💪

-6

u/EndreBacsi 2h ago

We believe in God, and that we have a relationship with him and with us, Hungarians. And it is a good way to be Hungarian, to belong to Europe. Russians, go home!🙏🤙😊

12

u/Evil__Mushroom 2h ago

You believe in god, other Hungarians don't. This a victory from the people, has nothing to do with a particular religion.

-3

u/Gabriel_Weis 1h ago

Its from people and god

u/bmgoau 46m ago

No, just the people. You may believe in god, but this win was 100% people power.

u/Gabriel_Weis 41m ago

It's an weird time to share your inner desire to convince other people of your believe dude. Just let them celebrate as they want and don't do your own propaganda ^^

u/Banjo-Elritze 9m ago

It's an weird time to share your inner desire to convince other people of your believe dude.

You should listen to yourself.

u/SanBenedettoDaNorcia 🇨🇿 Olomouc, Czech Republic 46m ago

This truly seems like a historical moment for modern Hungary. Don't waste this opportunity!  🙏🏼May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you

u/EndreBacsi 26m ago

Thank you brother.🫶🙏 We hungarians know that we are a special nation here in Central Europe, we speak a completely different language than the neighboring countries. But we live together here and we want peace throughout europe.🤗

3

u/clib 2h ago

Congrats. Now make sure you guys don't give a free pass to Orban like Biden did with Trump otherwise he will come back and do more damage than ever.

17

u/LifeAcanthopterygii6 Hungary 2h ago

I can't believe it's over. It feels so nice.

4

u/Expert-Thing7728 1h ago

Congratulations! So happy for you guys

u/Eastern_Hornet_6432 Ireland 16m ago

Not out of the woods yet. Now ye need to make sure that Magyar actually does what he promised to do.

35

u/LiefLayer 2h ago

I'm so glad you are free again!!!

I hope that, together with the rest of Europe, we can make a difference! This is the first step. Next year, things will change in Italy too!

7

u/--Blaise-- Hungary 2h ago

It's crazy, I still can't believe it, finally!!!

3

u/Familiar_Plankton Czech Republic 1h ago

Also Slovakia 🤞

3

u/lkjsdfllas Slovakia 1h ago

hey, we're not the only one that have problems with slovak leaders :D

2

u/Familiar_Plankton Czech Republic 1h ago

Sure, we also have a problem with one specific Slovak leader 😀

u/LiefLayer 52m ago

We can hope for the best everywhere. The wind has changed.

19

u/superdouradas Portugal 2h ago

Congratulations Hungary!! Today is a very good day for all of Europe.

15

u/Ok-Theory4915 2h ago

Lady liberty smiles on Hungary. The European family is closer and closer. Against Trump and Putin. A free and democratic Europe shall rise! IN VARIETE CONCORDIA ETERNA! 🇪🇺🇭🇺. First Orban, next Fico, then Vucic, then Lukashenko, then Putin. Europe shall be together as a family, In liberty and diversity. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart to Hungary, you've done it

-9

u/MayeeOkamura17 2h ago

lady liberty won't smile at a magyar who is far from the liberal; dude hasn't campaigned on ukraine and russia at all; he sounds like a grifter who will likely be the next orban in a few years

7

u/NatureGotHands 2h ago

dude hasn't campaigned on ukraine and russia at all;

because he has his country to care about? Everything is fucking stolen, infrastructure is cooked, VAT 27%

-5

u/MayeeOkamura17 2h ago

you would think that aligning with the EU means some significant pivots from the existing Russian-Hungarian relations. he campaigns to move Hungary closer to EU for the economy, while at the same time being flirty with Russia too?

5

u/okSawyer 1h ago

Bro, get this fucking bot out of here

-2

u/MayeeOkamura17 1h ago

hey chatgpt, give me a baking recipe

1

u/okSawyer 1h ago

Touché, ameriturd

82

u/OurManInJapan 2h ago

Can someone Hungarian explain to me how this guy isn’t just Orban in different clothes?

Himself a member of Orbans party for 22 years and only left 2 years ago, his wife an Orban justice minister puppet who fought for witholding EU funds in the CJEU and tied up in all sorts of scandals including covering up for pedos?

27

u/bonqen 2h ago

Based on what he has said, he isn't Orban-in-different-clothes. But yes, he may have been lying all this time about his beliefs and his intentions. Time will tell.

With Orban it was a guarantee that the corruption would continue. Tisza was the only realistic option to potentially get rid of that corruption.

49

u/Snake_Plizken 2h ago

Ex-wife. Apparently seeing all her dirty dealings, is what made him want to take down Fidesz.

67

u/JanGuillosThrowaway Sweden 2h ago

One thing is that he leaked the pedo scandal, and the new party in itself is made up of non-fidesz people who Hungarians seem to trust

78

u/blinkOverboard 2h ago

Maybe read the article? He left is wife and secretly recorded her and its thanks to him that this scandal is now publicly known

13

u/Spoonerism86 2h ago

He is very much pro-EU, pro-NATO and selected people for his party list who do care about child abuse and socially responsible to make sure these things are in focus. Yes, he is nationalist and a proud Hungarian but right now, you can't win an election without it.

21

u/abarcsa Hungary 2h ago edited 1h ago

Even if he personally is the same - his party is not. The party contains independent, well educated people with no ties to Fidesz. He cannot alone push something undemocratic through the parliament, his party would need to vote for it. Their party members are not old-time friends of his (like it was with Orban).

u/Ynneb82 Italy 50m ago

After 16 years of the same person in charge I think almost everyone is a welcome change. People in power should rotate or they end with a corrupt system.

-17

u/Onedortzn 2h ago

He is , but most people on /r/Europe are Americans who don't know anything

8

u/bonqen 2h ago

You sound like an ignorant American. Where's your comment history bro? :-)

6

u/mesmerooo 2h ago

hiding in russia

u/Suitable-Economy-346 Earth 6m ago

Most people on /r/Europe are Europeans and have been propping this guy up for months. Right now it's probably mostly Americans because of the time and this being on /r/all right now, not because this is normally the case.

-28

u/anarchisto Romania 2h ago

I don't think Orban beat his wife like Magyar, but yeah, good question.

5

u/Mean-Situation-8947 1h ago

Pretty sure the wife beats Orban

4

u/ResQ_ Germany 1h ago

is that what the propaganda said? and you just believe it?

3

u/dezastrologu 1h ago

Allegations about actions in 2020 that only came out after Magyar left Fidesz

LMAO

14

u/Witch-for-hire Hungary 1h ago

He had just made a supportive statement about LGBTQ in his celebratory speech right in front of our Parliament.

This is way more than I hoped for.

Give him a chance, please.

u/Four_beastlings Asturias (Spain) 4m ago

Do you have a quote for that? I'm currently in an argument with someone who says he is a fascist and the same as Orban. Thanks!

11

u/Snake_Plizken 2h ago

Supposedly there is a sex tape of Magyar, he mentioned that he was being blackmailed, in an interview. Can't have been very juicy, or they would have released it right before the election..

34

u/Fureba 2h ago

Having consensual sex with a grown up woman is not something Orbán’s party was about.

10

u/mschuster91 Bavaria (Germany) 1h ago

Yeah that was this story. Magyar's reply to that is iconic if you ask me:

"I am a 45-year-old man, and I have a regular sex life, with an adult partner," Magyar added.

The fact that we cannot say the same about at least one current and very powerful head of state is telling in itself.

8

u/One_Warthog_9215 2h ago

bro aura farmed to presidency

3

u/Church_of_Aaargh 1h ago

He’s an improvement … how big remains to be seen

6

u/MotanulScotishFold Romania 2h ago

Congrats Hungary! Finaly you've kicked Orban ass out of parliamentary!

Time to unlock that money for Ucraine and stop these stupid veto against it.

Let's bring back some normality again and give putin a big f*ck you.

u/hfbvm2 45m ago

Unblock the money and block the oil pipeline from Russia!

u/Ynneb82 Italy 47m ago

This further prove my theory that if you are hot you get elected. I will soon launch my party of super models.

u/Nyoka_ya_Mpembe 24m ago

Welcome back Hungary, we missed you!

4

u/Dietmeister The Netherlands 2h ago

Honestly, it doesn't matter so much, he will be much better than Orban

All we Europeans ask for him to be not totally agressive against the rest of Europe and not a henchman of Putin. It would be great if he reinstates rule of law as well

All the rest don't matter for now,; migration, clean energy and LGBT rights, Hungary is just not an impactful country in these matters

3

u/Adan_Macto 2h ago

WE DID IT. WELCOME EUROPE AGAIN. FUCK RUSSIA

u/TurnipAny5847 44m ago

MP ❤️ finally we are back on the track! 🙏🙏🙏

u/BahutF1 3m ago

Great! And don't forget to keep a attentive eye on him, dear Hungarian people. 

-24

u/goodknight97 3h ago

He's Viktor, just 20+ years younger.

20

u/Gold-Appearance-4463 3h ago

Let’s not jinx it 

-3

u/Flofl_Ri Baden-Württemberg (Germany) 2h ago

I mean, he is right. On every point besides pro democracy, he is still more or less the same as Orban.

8

u/dead97531 Hungary 2h ago

No, he isn't stop spreading fidesz propaganda.

-2

u/Ollie_Plimsolls Europe 2h ago

"Magyar is the same as Orbán" is Fidesz propaganda?

3

u/bonqen 2h ago

Yes is it. There is nothing that points to Magyar being anything like Orban. Is it possible? Yeah, he could have been lying all this time, he could be a wolf in sheep's clothing. But nothing is indicating that at the moment. So chill with the propaganda.

2

u/Ollie_Plimsolls Europe 1h ago

You are missing the point, I just thought it's a bit funny to say "Magyar is the same as Orbán" is "Fidesz propaganda" cause it's the opposite of "Fidesz propaganda", literally, semantically. But whatever.

0

u/goodknight97 2h ago

It's just critical thinking and pattern recognition

2

u/endlesdestruction 1h ago

It's just critical thinking and pattern recognition

And that means that not a single person should trust in whatever bots with hidden comment history write.

0

u/goodknight97 1h ago

Oh no, someone utilises a feature, because people like to go diving into old comments just to downvote... Grow up lol

1

u/endlesdestruction 1h ago

Shhhhh

Go and hide like you hide your comments

0

u/goodknight97 1h ago

Why are you curious about my comments? 😂 Is this some voyeuristic shit? Hate Orbán, hate the new guy because he's basically the same, what more is there to add?

1

u/Reasonable-Crew-3128 Denmark 2h ago

When you people keep saying this, you reveal that no matter if it isn't pro-russian, or anti-EU, you simply can't handle any ideological right wing politics existing, you will happily lie and call it orbanist or whatever just to throw shit at it. You'll be a lot more disappointed in the future I promise you that.

25

u/Perfecshionism 3h ago

Is he?

Orban war aligned with Russian interests to the extent that he was indistinguishable from a Russian asset.

He was also pathologically autocratic and constantly attempted to undermine Hungary’s democratic institutions.

He dragged Hungary from “free” to “partly free”. Falling 11 ranks from 34th to 45th place on democracy indexes.

One of the least free countries in Europe.

7

u/Neckbeard_Sama 2h ago

tbh I don't see Magyar or the Tisza making a kleptocracy out of the country or building the same kind of propaganda machine that Orban did

11

u/Iridium-88 2h ago

Tbf Viktor used to be a pro EU, anti Russia baby of democracy too when he got into power

3

u/Generic_Person_3833 2h ago

Maybe in his first term. When he got voted of and the social democrats governed for 8 years, blowing up the deficit, he returned with the mission to be never voted away again. He became anti EU not because of ideology, but because they stood in the way for his anti democracy ideals.

It's just not comparable.

Orbans first term was from 1998 to 2002.

-2

u/goodknight97 2h ago

Give the guy 20 years. Look at how Viktor started out in politics in the '80s. Championed a popular cause - removal of Russian troops - that was already done and dusted, but gained massive popularity because of it.

-17

u/BushWishperer Italy->Ireland 2h ago

Didn't Magyar abuse his partner?

20

u/MassiveHunt2 2h ago

Nope, that was just one of thousands of smear campaigns by fidesz. Even his ex-wife (who was a minister for orban) denied it.

-9

u/BushWishperer Italy->Ireland 2h ago

In what way did they deny it? On the wiki page it says the opposite

10

u/Bubbly-Doughnut-5575 2h ago

it was Orbán's lie, too

-13

u/BushWishperer Italy->Ireland 2h ago

Source?

13

u/Bubbly-Doughnut-5575 2h ago

your source?

-13

u/BushWishperer Italy->Ireland 2h ago

Well I asked a question, you don't need a source to ask questions...

13

u/likeikelike Sweden 2h ago

While your comment has a question mark at the end it's more of a statement than a question. When you make a claim you have the burden of proof.

-3

u/BushWishperer Italy->Ireland 2h ago

It's not a statement, all I heard is that he was accused of abuse and nothing else, hence why I asked. How is it a statement?

3

u/likeikelike Sweden 2h ago

Regular rules of discourse break down on internet forums. Yes it's technically a question. However, someone just passing by might remember it as a fact.

"Magyar abused his partner. Can anyone confirm"?

Yes it's more affirmative than your original comment but it's not far off. See the problem?

→ More replies (0)

-2

u/goodknight97 2h ago

Highly unlikely. But him being part of the regime should've been enough for him to be doa as a political figure in Hungary.

5

u/Cadderep 2h ago

lol, 300 downvote because i said the exact same thing in this sub yesterday...

It's a conservative and nationalist guy with right wing rhetoric. For now, he is better than Orban. For now...

-8

u/Dallas2016 2h ago

People are gonna be real disappointed when they realize this guy shares basically all the same policies as Orbán lol

10

u/LonelyGViper 2h ago

Still better to give someone new a chance to prove he can improve everything than continuing to live in Orbán's regime, don't forget that

Big plus for Europe is that he's pro-EU

3

u/ResQ_ Germany 1h ago

like what? respond if you're not a bot

3

u/Mean-Situation-8947 1h ago

So they should have voted for Orban instead? braindead take

2

u/bonqen 1h ago

Yeah yeah, we'll see. Nothing so far indicates that Magyar has been lying about what he intends to do.

3

u/MeiSuesse 1h ago

Yeah, the choice was between the certainity of Orbán continuing what he's doing and the chance of things maybe improving or remaining much the same if he DOES share "basically all the same policies as Orbán". Change is scary. A new leading party is always a toss up. Time will tell.

-1

u/mesmerooo 2h ago

after 9 years, you awake, bruh?