April 15, 2026, 11:55 a.mApril 15, 2026, 11:55 a.m
After his victory in Hungary’s parliamentary election, opposition leader Peter Magyar announced the temporary suspension of news broadcasts on state radio and television stations.
“One of the first steps after forming a government will be to suspend the news programs of these propaganda media,” he said in an interview with state-run Kossuth Radio on Wednesday morning.
Magyar wants to stop state news broadcasts in Hungary.Image: keystone
He then made almost the same statement on the M1 television station. The two media belong to the state broadcasting holding company MTVA. In the two studio conversations, Magyar appeared quick-witted and aggressive. When the M1 presenter remarked that stopping the news broadcasts would violate the law, Magyar told her: “You have not fulfilled the obligations of the media law. (…) If you accuse me of violating the law here, then it would be as if the shoplifter was calling the police.”
New government could be in place by mid-May
In fact, the 2010 media law created by Orban conceives the MTVA stations as public media. For example, they are subject to the mandate of objective and balanced reporting. However, in practice the opposite happened. Orban and representatives of his government and his Fidesz party were portrayed exclusively positively in the news broadcasts, while Peter Magyar and his Tisza party were portrayed exclusively negatively.
During the election campaign, Fidesz was presented as the only viable option in these programs. They spread obvious false reports about Magyar, such as his party’s fabricated election program that would have included drastic tax increases. At the same time, Magyar was not given the opportunity to comment in the state media during the election campaign.
Magyar’s Tisza party scored a resounding victory in Sunday’s election. In the new parliament she will have a two-thirds majority to change the constitution, which means she can also change Orban’s media law, which has constitutional status. According to the constitution, the first convocation of the new parliament must take place by May 12th. The formation of the Magyar government is expected by mid or late May. (hkl/sda/dpa)