Hungary's incoming PM Peter Magyar pledges crackdown on critical media

April 17, 2026

TL;DR

Peter Magyar, Hungary's prime minister-elect, plans to suspend the news operations of the state broadcaster MTVA.
Magyar accused MTVA of airing "propaganda" for outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government.
He described the situation at MTVA as something that "Goebbels or the North Korean leadership would admire" and stated "not a single true word being spoken."
Magyar stated that MTVA staff view Tisza's election victory as a "form of liberation" and have been "working under constant intimidation and political pressure."
Broadcasting is to resume once "all conditions for impartial and objective journalism are fully restored."
Magyar, formerly of Orban's Fidesz party, campaigned on improving relations with the EU.
He signaled continuity on some Orban policies, including not fast-tracking Ukraine's EU accession and maintaining diversified energy supplies with Russian oil imports.
Magyar suggested that if Ukraine resumes oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, Orban might lift his veto on a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine.

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