Orbán says Germany and EU created rival party to threaten his rule

Budapest - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has branded the opposition as a "creation" of foreign powers in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Saturday against the backdrop of upcoming parliamentary elections.

Orbán singled out German politicians in the European Parliament and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as the main driving forces behind the rising conservative opposition Respect and Freedom Party (Tisza).

A new parliament is set to be elected in Hungary on April 12. For the first time in 16 years, the 63-year-old right-wing populist leader faces a serious challenge to his grip on power.

"We already knew that our real opponents are not the Hungarian opposition parties. Our real opponents are their masters in Brussels," Orbán told a hand-picked audience in Budapest.

Led by Péter Magyar, Tisza has been polling as a potential winner in the upcoming elections.

Orbán claimed the party was "a creation of Brussels," orchestrated by German lawmaker Manfred Weber, president of the European People's Party (EPP), with von der Leyen as its "godmother."

"The Germans know they need a Hungarian party," Orbán added, linking Tisza's emergence to Fidesz's 2021 departure from the EPP over refugee policy disputes.

In the June 2024 European elections, Tisza secured nearly 30% of the vote from scratch, and its MEPs now bolster the EPP group, which also includes Germany's conservative bloc.

Magyar, 19 years younger than Orbán, is a former member of the ruling Fidesz party and held relatively minor posts. For 17 years, he was married to former justice minister Judit Varga, a position that gave him insight into the inner workings of Orbán's government.

Magyar broke with Fidesz two years ago after a scandal involving the pardon of a paedophile volunteer ended Varga's political career.

After leaving Fidesz, Magyar founded Tisza. Coming from a middle-class Budapest family, he emphasizes conservatism and patriotism without exclusivity.

With a small team, Magyar has built a high-energy campaign, using humour and social media to challenge Orbán's rule.

Tisza has maintained an eight- to 10-point lead over Fidesz in polls for the past 18 months. Its election programme, published a week ago, pledges that Hungary will be "a credible, active, and constructive member of the EU and NATO."

Under Orbán, Hungary has blocked or diluted EU sanctions against Russia and limited support for Ukraine, reflecting his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Tisza promises to end this "see-saw" policy and firmly align Hungary with Western alliances.