Magyar is flying high in the polls on promises to root out corruption and revitalize Hungary’s stagnating economy. The election is set to take place in the spring, likely April.
“I am not just the record holder of being prime minister, but I’m a record holder of being the leader of opposition as well,” Orbán said.
“I have an experience. I spent 16 years in politics as leader of the opposition,” he added. “Don’t be afraid. I know how to continue.”
Orbán’s 15-year rule has seen Budapest be criticized for backsliding on democracy and rule of law, with the populist-nationalist prime minister frequently clashing with the EU on support for Ukraine, LGBTQ+ rights and Russian sanctions.
“The European Union is a danger to us. They are blackmailing us,” he said. “They try to suffocate us economically and financially.”
Magyar is not his “main opponent” in the election, Orbán argued, but Brussels.
“Brussels would like to change the government in Hungary. They would like a government here in Hungary, as they have done in Poland, which is following the instructions coming from Brussels on migration, on economy, on war,” he said. “But I’m not that guy.”