Political Capital

After 16 years, Orbán’s propaganda machine didn’t gradually weaken. It collapsed. The bigger question now is what comes next. Can Hungary move from being a laboratory of illiberalism and post-truthg to a laboratory of democratic renewal? Can a country shaped by state-sponsored disinformation rebuild media pluralism, democratic trust, and a less tribal political culture? That’s the challenge I discuss in my new interview with @populismstudies @selcuk_gultasli populismstudies.org/assoc-prof-kre…

The export of illiberalism will come to a swift end. Fidesz, one of the last surviving parties from the post-communist transition in Central Europe, could suffer the same fate as its regional peers - being sidelined and shrinking further. Gave some comments on the political future of Fidesz and Orbán to @einotai @BalkanInsight @Rept_Democracy . The great @laknerz is also quoted in the article! balkaninsight.com/2026/04/30/aft…

Do not miss HDMO's latest blogpost on @EDMO_EUI Blog by colleagues from @Pol_Cap: 👉 How AI-generated content was weaponized in Hungary’s 2026 election campaign 👉 What explains the limited success of AI-driven disinformation despite its widespread use 👉 How public attitudes toward deepfakes may shape future political strategies 👉 Why a coordinated policy response is essential to address the risks of AI in elections 🔗 Read the full blogpost: tinyurl.com/57sx8ks7

🚨 Why Fidesz’s campaign didn’t work? 🚨 Why were Russian disinformation and AI ineffective? Szilárd Teczár's interview with @peterkreko director of @Pol_Cap and Ágnes Urbán director of @MertekMonitor is now available in English on @lakmusz_hu. Here you can read a shortened, edited version of the conversation: tinyurl.com/3xcfp4zr

Orban has no chance to return to power. He could take the path taken by President Trump after his election defeat in 2020, when he “was able to strengthen his position by casting himself as a victim. But he seems paralyzed, with its supporters in business, politics and academia stepping down on their own, surrendering without a single shot fired. My comments to @nytimes @lilirutai nytimes.com/2026/05/09/wor…

Orbán is out. But what does that mean for the Western Balkans? In #BalkansDebrief, @IlvaTare sits down with @peterkreko to unpack Hungary’s political, economic & media footprint in the region & what changes (or doesn’t) under Péter Magyar. x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

The EU funds will be desperately needed so that Tisza can deliver at least on some of their promises. The political will isthere on the EU side as well to help the new government deliver so that Orbán does not return to power. Me to @guardian @ashifa_k theguardian.com/world/2026/apr…

Hungary’s more liberal voters did not allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good. The best plot twist would be if Hungary went from a model of illiberalism, post-truth and authoritarianism to a model of democratic change. Me to @cnn @christianed_ edition.cnn.com/2026/04/12/eur…

Why Orbán's informational autocracy lost- me to @MaxGriera @POLITICOEurope. The clemency scandal caused “a moral crisis of a moralizing government”. Since then, whatever the government does, whatever the government says, it resonates less with the public. politico.eu/article/how-hu…

🚨 New report from @Pol_Cap! AI-generated videos are becoming a powerful tool in election campaigns. Political Capital's latest analysis of the Hungarian case shows how deepfake content can shape perceptions, trigger strong emotions, and continue influencing audiences even after being exposed as false. The findings highlight that AI-generated video content were widely used during the campaign, particularly by government-affiliated actors, and in some cases were able to bypass platform regulations to reach large audiences through paid advertising. Read the full report for detailed findings and recommendations: hdmo.eu/en/2026/04/10/…

Meta blocked political advertisements on Facebook and Instagram in October, but misinformation researchers warn that the ban has pushed political ads by Orbán's Fidesz underground. #TheCube l.euronews.com/156U