Orbán’s Fidesz Party Deploys Disturbing AI-Generated Execution Videos to Target Rival Péter Magyar Before Election

Hungary's Fidesz party uses AI execution videos and fake calls to target rival Péter Magyar. See how AI is shaping the April 12 election.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 5, 2026, 1:06 PM EDT

Digital Warfare in the Hungarian Election

The Hungarian electoral landscape has been upended by a viral, AI-generated video appearing to show the execution of a Hungarian soldier. Distributed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in February, the clip depicts a young girl waiting for her father before cutting to a scene of him being blindfolded and shot by captors. While the party explicitly labels the footage as AI-generated, it uses the disturbing imagery to argue that a victory for opposition candidate Péter Magyar would lead to "irreversible tragedy" and forced involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. This strategic use of high-impact, synthetic media represents a new and aggressive frontier in Hungarian political communication, shifting from traditional rhetoric to immersive, manufactured horror.

Unsubstantiated Claims of Forced Conscription

The Fidesz campaign has focused its messaging on the narrative that Magyar and his center-right Tisza party intend to bypass neutrality and drag Hungary into the war with Russia. Ruling party officials, including communications director Támas Menczer, have alleged without evidence that a Tisza victory would result in Hungarian deaths, the redirection of pension funds to Ukraine, and the imposition of forced conscription. In response, Magyar has condemned these tactics as "heartless manipulation" and "crossing all limits." The Tisza party manifesto explicitly denies these claims, pledging that no Hungarian troops will be sent to Ukraine and confirming there are no plans to revive mandatory military service.

Coordinated Disinformation and Synthetic Endorsements

The use of AI extends beyond battlefield simulations to include fabricated political endorsements and interactions. The National Resistance Movement (NEM), a pro-government activist group, recently shared an AI-generated phone call between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Péter Magyar. The video, viewed over 3.7 million times, purports to show the two discussing financial support for Ukraine. Despite being identified as a fake by Magyar, the content was widely circulated by state-aligned media and Prime Minister Orbán himself, who warned that while the video was synthetic, the scenario it depicts could become a reality if the opposition wins.