Opposition Leader Alleges Data Breach, Accuses Fidesz of Intimidation Ahead of Hungarian Elections
Budapest, Hungary – Peter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza party, has accused the ruling Fidesz party of a serious crime, alleging the personal data of thousands of Tisza supporters – including names adn addresses – has been leaked and is being used for intimidation. Magyar made the claims in an emotional video posted on Facebook, stating the information was being shared with “janissaries,” a term frequently enough used to describe loyal Fidesz supporters.
“This is a crime, a serious crime, a politically motivated crime aimed at intimidation,” magyar said in the video.He drew a parallel to ancient persecution, asking, “What’s the next step? Yellow stars on the gates?”
Magyar further alleged that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán admitted to reviewing a list of supporters of the Tisza party, claiming the list was “stolen by his special services in cooperation with Russian allies.” He called on Interior Minister Sándor pintér to launch an immediate inquiry, emphasizing, “Power is supposed to protect people, not intimidate them.”
The Tisza party leader also appealed to President Tamás Sulyok to condemn the alleged data misuse and “take the side of the people.” He stated the President ”has no business in office” if unable or unwilling to protect citizens’ personal data. Magyar also urged the National Office for the Protection of Personal Data to investigate, challenging the office to demonstrate its independence from the Orbán government.
The accusations come amid a heated political climate leading up to parliamentary elections in April.Magyar cited a recent video created using artificial intelligence, falsely depicting him advocating for pension cuts, as evidence of fidesz engaging in “open electoral fraud.”
According to an October 2023 survey by the Republikon agency, 30% of respondents indicated thay would vote for Tisza, while 24% would support Fidesz. Orbán has been in power for 15 consecutive years. Hungary’s parliamentary system combines single-mandate constituencies (106 seats) with party-list depiction (93 seats) for a total of 199 members.
