Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar has accused his political rivals of planning to blackmail him with a sex tape from 2024, just weeks before the upcoming election in Hungary.
Photo by <a href=”https://unsplash.com/@ballaschottner?utm_source=instant-images&utm_medium=referral” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Bence Balla-Schottner</a> on <a href=”https://unsplash.com” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Unsplash</a>
Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar says an illicitly recorded intimate video from 2024 may be used to damage him ahead of Hungary’s 12 April 2026 election, a claim he has taken to police as the campaign intensifies and polling signals a highly competitive race.
Hungary’s election campaign has been shaken by allegations from opposition leader Péter Magyar, who says he expects a smear attempt involving a secretly recorded intimate video from 2024 as the country heads toward parliamentary elections on 12 April 2026. Reporting on the episode, Reuters noted that the controversy is landing in an already tense political climate, with rival camps treating the vote as pivotal for Hungary’s direction in Europe.
Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, said online material hinted at an impending release connected to the date 3 August 2024. He has said the encounter would have been consensual and that he has not committed wrongdoing, while warning that the episode may be weaponised as part of a political attack. As of mid-February, reporting said no video had been made public.
On 13 February, Magyar filed a police report alleging unlawful secret information gathering and the unauthorised use of concealed recording equipment, and also raising concerns about the misuse of his personal data. He has blamed the government for orchestrating a “honey trap” designed to undermine his credibility.
The government and the ruling Fidesz party have not offered detailed rebuttals. A Fidesz representative told Reuters the party had no knowledge of the video or the images being circulated, and senior officials said they were unaware of the website that raised the allegation.
The controversy comes as polling remains contested. Some surveys have shown Tisza leading Fidesz, while pro-government polling has put Fidesz ahead, underscoring that the outcome is far from settled.
International attention has also sharpened. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly backed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, praising him as a “truly strong and powerful leader,” adding another layer to a campaign already marked by high polarisation and intense messaging.
