Péter Magyar, the winner of Hungary’s April 12, 2026, general elections, declared today that his incoming government intends to suspend news services on state-run public media outlets. Magyar, who led the Tisza Party to a historic landslide victory, accuses the state media of being a “propaganda factory” for his predecessor, Viktor Orbán.
“The factory of lies will end after the formation of the government: we will suspend the news service until media freedom is restored,” Magyar stated during a tense interview on the public television channel M1.
Magyar’s victory ended 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party. The Tisza Party secured a two-thirds supermajority, granting Magyar the legislative power to dismantle the “illiberal state” built by Orbán since 2010.
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Key points from Magyar’s recent declarations and the current political climate include:
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Media Bias: Prior to the election, monitors from the Republikon Institute found that 95% of state TV coverage of Viktor Orbán was positive, while 96% of coverage regarding Péter Magyar was negative.
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A “New Era”: Magyar has promised a “complete change of regime,” focusing on restoring the rule of law, fighting corruption, and repairing ties with the European Union.
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Government Formation: The new Parliament is expected to convene in early May, where Magyar will officially be appointed Prime Minister.
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Institutional Clean-up: Magyar has already called for the resignation of other high-ranking officials, including President Tamás Sulyok, whom he views as a partisan figure of the previous administration.
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During his appearance at M1—his first invitation to the state broadcaster in 18 months—Magyar dismissed the presenter’s warning that suspending news programs would be illegal. He countered by comparing the current state of public media to a thief accusing a police officer of illegality, reiterating his commitment to democratic standards as demanded by Brussels.
Magyar has already reportedly spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding his plans to stabilize relations and unlock billions in frozen EU funds.
