“People see that it’s not a functioning government, that’s what changed … people are very angry, they hate Fidesz so much, this was not the case four years ago,” Márki-Zay said.
Strict communications control
One of the most important lessons Magyar learned has translated into his strategic positioning on Ukraine.
The lesson relates to a catastrophic gaffe by Márki-Zay that is widely blamed for his heavy loss in 2022. While early polls had suggested a tight race, Orbán ultimately won by a massive 49.3 percent versus 32.7 percent for his rival.
As tensions mounted between Russia and Ukraine in February that year, just before Moscow invaded its neighbor, Márki-Zay told independent outlet Partizán on Feb. 23 that Hungary could support its neighbor militarily alongside its allies.
When pressed on whether that meant boots on the ground, he said: “Well, if NATO decides so, then even soldiers,” before adding “but right now there’s no talk of that at all.”
Unluckily for him, Russian tanks poured into Ukraine the next day, and pro-government media twisted his words to accuse him of wanting to drag Hungary into the war and to send the country’s children to die in Ukraine.