Hungary does not want to be the first American-Russian colony, Péter Magyar, the leader of the parliamentary opposition said on Saturday.
Magyar’s party, TISZA, is now leading in polls ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz, which has been in power for the past fifteen years.
“We do not want to be the first joint Russian-American colony. That is not what our ancestors fought for in the [1848 revolution], nor what our heroes of the [1956 anti-Soviet] uprising stood for,” Magyar said during a meeting with voters in the south-eastern town of Gyula.
He added that Hungary can be a “truly sovereign and democratic country when it has patriotic leaders, as long as it is not sold out and plundered.”
“This is perhaps even more important after yesterday's events," Magyar said, as quoted by the newspaper Népszava, but stopped short of commenting on the Friday clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Népszava, Magyar was referring to Orbán’s emphasis on sovereignty, despite the fact that his government remains uncritical of Trump and Russia.
Orbán and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó have expressed support for Trump, stating that during his Friday meeting with Zelenskyy, “he stood on the side of peace.”
TISZA is currently leading in Hungary’s political party polls. However, according to the latest survey by the Republikon Institute published on Saturday, Fidesz has regained some ground, nearly catching up with Magyar’s party.
Hungary’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for spring 2026.
“We do not want to be the first joint Russian-American colony. That is not what our ancestors fought for in the [1848 revolution], nor what our heroes of the [1956 anti-Soviet] uprising stood for,” Magyar said during a meeting with voters in the south-eastern town of Gyula.
He added that Hungary can be a “truly sovereign and democratic country when it has patriotic leaders, as long as it is not sold out and plundered.”
“This is perhaps even more important after yesterday's events," Magyar said, as quoted by the newspaper Népszava, but stopped short of commenting on the Friday clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Népszava, Magyar was referring to Orbán’s emphasis on sovereignty, despite the fact that his government remains uncritical of Trump and Russia.
Orbán and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó have expressed support for Trump, stating that during his Friday meeting with Zelenskyy, “he stood on the side of peace.”
TISZA is currently leading in Hungary’s political party polls. However, according to the latest survey by the Republikon Institute published on Saturday, Fidesz has regained some ground, nearly catching up with Magyar’s party.
Hungary’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for spring 2026.
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