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Warning: This article contains descriptions of violent imagery.
AI-generated video sparks outrage in Hungary's election race
Ahead of Hungary's pivotal parliamentary elections on 12 April, a disturbing AI-generated video depicting the execution of a Hungarian soldier circulated on social media accounts linked to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party. The clip, posted in February, shows a young girl waiting for her father's return from war before cutting to a scene of him being blindfolded, bound, and shot by captors.
Targeting Orbán's rival with false narratives
The video explicitly aimed to discredit Péter Magyar, Orbán's main challenger and leader of the centre-right Tisza party, who has emerged as a serious threat to Fidesz's 16-year rule. Fidesz's campaign has repeatedly accused Magyar of planning to drag Hungary into Russia's war against Ukraine, claims both Magyar and Tisza have vehemently denied.
The AI clip included a disclaimer noting it was fabricated but added: "The war is really horrible. Péter Magyar doesn't want you to see this video. He doesn't want you to see what an irreversible tragedy it is to join a war."
Fidesz has alleged that Magyar would divert pension funds to Ukraine and reintroduce forced conscription if elected. Tisza's manifesto, however, pledges no troop deployments to Ukraine and no plans to revive conscription.
Fidesz silent on AI video origins
When questioned about the video's creation and its distribution on Fidesz's social media channels, the party did not respond. However, Támas Menczer, communications director for the Fidesz-KNDP alliance, addressed the broader narrative in a Facebook interview, stating: "The greatest possible danger is that Hungarian people could die if Tisza wins, because Tisza supports the war, Tisza supports sending money." He did not comment on the video's AI origins.
"[Fidesz] crossed all limits. This is heartless manipulation."
Péter Magyar, Tisza party leader
AI disinformation dominates campaign
Zsófia Fülöp, a journalist at Hungary's independent fact-checking outlet Lakmusz, noted that while anti-Ukrainian rhetoric from Fidesz is not new, the scale of AI-generated disinformation in this campaign is unprecedented. "It is omnipresent in this campaign, especially in the communication of the ruling party and its media proxies. They've used it before, but now it's massive."
Despite the tactics, Magyar leads in most opinion polls. Pro-Fidesz groups have amplified similar narratives, including a widely shared AI-generated video last month depicting a fabricated phone call between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Magyar discussing funding for Ukraine. The clip, viewed over 3.7 million times, was later shared by Orbán himself, who acknowledged its AI origins but warned it could become reality.
Anti-Ukrainian sentiment and media control
Éva Bognár, a researcher at Central European University's Democracy Institute, described the campaign as a "state of hallucination," with Fidesz's disinformation framing Hungary as "on the brink of war." The strategy extends beyond digital spaces: last month, Hungarian anti-terrorism police detained seven Ukrainian bank workers transiting with $80 million (£60 million) in cash and 9 kg (20 lbs) of gold, accusing them of money laundering. Ukraine's foreign minister alleged the workers were taken hostage, while Oschadbank, Ukraine's state savings bank, insisted the transfer was routine and licensed.
Though the workers were later released without charges, Hungarian authorities have yet to return the seized assets. Pro-government media outlets further muddied the waters by publishing AI-generated images of the arrest, which were later debunked by Facebook's fact-checking service.
Public opinion and generational divide
Hungary's relations with Ukraine have soured under Orbán, who maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin even after the 2022 invasion. A survey by Policy Solutions found that 64% of Hungarians hold a negative view of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, nearly matching the 67% who dislike Putin.
Researcher Éva Bognár highlighted Fidesz's overwhelming media dominance: "One side holds all the cards. Fidesz has infinite resources at its disposal-public funds, state agencies, and a propaganda machine that includes public service media."
Magyar has countered this by leveraging social media, where his posts on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram receive twice the engagement of Orbán's, according to election integrity watchdog 20k. His content blends professional messaging with personal imagery, portraying him as a younger, more relatable leader.
However, Magyar has also engaged in misleading rhetoric, including claims about Fidesz's alleged plans to reintroduce compulsory military service-a charge for which no evidence exists beyond a brief 2016 mention by two Fidesz politicians.
What's next for Hungary?
Péter Krekó, director of the independent Political Capital institute, noted that Magyar has capitalized on public resentment toward Fidesz, particularly among voters aged 18-40. A Median agency survey found Tisza's support strongest in this demographic, while nearly half of those over 65 back Fidesz.
Fidesz's campaign posters warn of the dangers of a Zelensky-Magyar alliance, with slogans like "They are dangerous!" If Fidesz wins, Krekó predicts disinformation tactics will persist beyond the election. A Magyar victory, however, could lead to a "more tumultuous relationship between the media and politicians."
