Tisza Party Struggles with Recruitment, Peter Magyar's Personality Becomes Increasingly Off-Putting

The departure of Dezso Farkas highlights that Peter Magyar's party-building efforts have so far been unsuccessful in an organizational sense, said Bank Levente Boros, director of political analysis at the Nezopont Institute, when asked about the organizational crisis within the Tisza Party. According to Janos Zila, analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights, the latest developments, like many previous issues, clearly outline Peter Magyar's incompatible and aggressive personality.

Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party (Source: M1/YouTube)

From the very outset, the Tisza Party has struggled with serious personnel issues, as it remains a one-man party in public perception, and despite Peter Magyar’s previous promises, it has yet to recruit weighty and credible politicians. This is evidenced not only by previous failed attempts at political recruitment (Budapest Municipal Assembly, EP candidate list) but also by the individuals presented at Peter Magyar’s "year-in-review" event earlier this year: alongside a gender activist, they could only showcase a disgraced soldier and a former president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee—who has since disappeared entirely from the party’s events, Bank Levente Boros, director of political analysis at Nezopont Institute, told Magyar Nemzet when asked about the Tisza Party's organizational crisis.

Peter Magyar has difficulties both in recruiting visible, frontline politicians and in managing the party’s operation, says analyst Bank Levente Boros (Photo: Arpad Kurucz)

As is known, following the resignation of Dezso Farkas, coordinator of the Tisza Party, at least 15 Tisza Island groups  have already indicated to the party leadership that they will follow suit. Sources say the cause of this organizational crisis can be attributed to  Peter Magyar's abrasive style. According to Daniel Deak, the politician has even offended individuals who previously supported the party financially.

The Tisza Party Struggles with Recruitment

Bank Levente Boros believes that the departure of Dezso Farkas underscores the failure of Peter Magyar's party-building efforts in an organizational sense, as the nationwide (!) coordinator of the Tisza Islands—the party’s de facto basic units—has left the Tisza Party. Overall, all signs suggest, according to the analyst, that

Peter Magyar has difficulties both in recruiting visible, frontline politicians and in managing the party’s operation.

"The departure of Dezso Farkas will certainly cause some disruption in organizational matters. However, given that this is the Tisza Party we are talking about, there is also a possibility that more unpleasant information concerning Peter Magyar could soon come to light."

It is worth keeping our ears open,

said Janos Zila. According to the analyst at the Center of Fundamental Rights, both politicians (Farkas and Magyar) share the characteristic of being so intoxicated by their own influence that their interests have evidently never extended beyond their personal political careers.

Peter Magyar’s personality emerges

"They are social climbers who will climb on anyone’s back to get ahead. However, if someone or something threatens their position, that person becomes an enemy, is demoted, or has to leave the party. This cannot go on indefinitely. On the one hand, because the party will eventually run out of useful associates, and on the other, because those remaining will become disinterested in the success of the political organization and its leader," he explained.

According to the analyst, the latest events, like many previous ones, strongly highlight Peter Magyar’s incompatible and aggressive personality. 

While the impact on his party’s operations is not unimportant, he said, these incidents repeatedly raise a fundamental question for voters: is such a person fit to lead a country?

• Can someone govern who turns every petty issue into a personal matter and changes his trusted people as often as others change their underwear, simply because he takes offense at everyone?"
• "How would such a leader operate on the international stage? Would he be capable of representing the country’s interests?"
• "Would he be able to keep his cool if, for example, he were pressured in negotiations regarding the country’s natural gas or oil supply? What would we use for heating, what would we refuel with, if he lost his temper during such discussions?"

the analyst posed some questions.

Cover photo: Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party (Source: M1/YouTube)