How the Ukrainian Leadership Enveloped the Tisza Party – Part 1

The Tisza Party may have had a short life so far, but the list of those who have seized control over the Hungarian opposition’s latest rising star is anything but brief. In the first part of our investigative series, we explore how the party led by Peter Magyar ended up in Brussels’ hands.

Tisza Party President Peter Magyar and Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, sign the Tisza–Brussels pact (Photo: Miklos Teknos)

Peter Magyar’s People Pose in Ukrainian Colors

After much deception and evasion, the truth about Peter Magyar and his MEPs’ stance on the war has come to light. In November, it became unmistakably clear in Brussels that they had bowed to the pro-war faction. At a special session of the European Parliament, held to mark the thousandth day of the war in Ukraine, Tisza’s representatives donned pro-war Ukrinian jerseys.

Politicians of the European People’s Party listened to Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukrainian jerseys — the Tisza delegation was no exception.

The Tisza Party Collected Signatures for Ukraine’s Accession

While the Tisza Party downplays the significance and risks of Ukraine's EU accession at home, in Brussels it voted in favor of a resolution on the EU budget that contains provisions related to Ukraine. “With this resolution, Tisza’s representatives voted to fully and unconditionally support Ukraine, and for the EU to spend even more money on Ukraine; they also voted for Ukraine to progress toward membership,” pro-government MEP Csaba Domotor emphasized at the time. “We’ve learned from Ursula von der Leyen herself that this means Ukraine could achieve full membership status before 2030 via an accelerated track,” he added. “The Tisza Party is denying the significance of Ukraine’s accession in the same way MSZP denied the migration problem in 2015,” he concluded.

After the Hungarian government announced the launch of the "Vote 2025" public consultation on Ukraine’s fast-tracked EU accession, Peter Magyar fired up his copy machine and launched his own pseudo-vote on the very same topic, among others. Unsurprisingly, this vote — riddled with highly questionable circumstances — produced the result that a majority of Hungarians support Ukraine’s rapid entry into the EU. On this, Manfred Weber had some telling words:

Regarding Tisza’s signature drive, the EPP’s stance is clear: we support Ukraine by every means available… In the European People’s Party, we are backing Ukraine with all our tools, all our strength. And I hope that Hungary, and the Hungarian government, will come to understand that it would be better off cooperating in harmony and friendship with the European Union on this matter,

– Mr. Weber said.

Cover photo: Peter Magyar, president of the Tisza Party, and Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, sign the Tisza–Brussels pact (Photo: Miklos Teknős)