PM Orban: We Are Going to Work Hard and Win Big!

Why chants of "Dirty Fidesz!" can often be heard at festivals? — this question was posed to Viktor Orban right away at the MCC Festival in Esztergom. The Hungarian prime minister was in conversation with Gergo Kereki, editor-in-chief of Mandiner online, and roughly five thousand people followed the talk.

"It was due to youthful fighting spirit and cunning that I received this honorable title, when we rebuilt the Maria Valeria Bridge during my first term in office," said Viktor Orban at MCC Fest, referring to his being an honorary citizen of Esztergom. The prime minister remarked that he probably should have attended the festival earlier. Gergo Kereki, editor-in-chief of Mandiner Online, didn’t beat around the bush—he immediately asked why chants of "Dirty Fidesz!" can often be heard at festivals this summer.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban was questioned for an hour at the MCC Festival (Photo: Screenshot)

Viktor Orban responded by noting that even President Trump was attacked by celebrities during the American election campaign, and this might be the Hungarian version of that. Rebellion is a natural part of young people's lives, they have always rebelled. He took the view that liberal-minded youth rebel against the government and all forms of authority, while nationally-minded youth rebel against global networks, Soros's circles, and international forces that seek to oppress us. In his view, parents have to understand this.

"These young people are our children, we raised them, and we shouldn’t forget that," said the prime minister, advising everyone to approach the matter with parental wisdom and calm.

Does Viktor Orban listen to Azahriah songs?

When asked if there had ever been a public stance taken by a musician that really affected him, Viktor Orban pointed out:

people don’t listen to musicians because they agree with them politically.

“When I’d come home in the evenings in a bad mood, I’d listen to one of Azahriah’s songs, and it would cheer me up, even though the lyrics made no sense. But since the artist called Fidesz voters ‘amoebas,’ I’ve lost all interest.”

Viktor Orban then addressed what the governing parties can offer to young people who may find Fidesz-KDNP’s 15 years in power monotonous. He said there are many measures that could be listed, but they wouldn’t help much. The real answer, he suggested, lies in life circumstances: when a young person enters adulthood, they are suddenly faced with a lot of questions about life, especially how to get started. This, he said, is why many young people feel dissatisfied with their lives, and in turn, may blame the government.

The prime minister went on to list various forms of support aimed at young people, highlighting the upcoming “Home Start Program,” which will launch in September.

What does Viktor Orban expect in the 2026 election? 

PM Orban emphasized that he doesn’t believe youth programs alone make a government more appealing. Instead, he said: “We need to understand each other, and that requires communicating our message well. Peace, calm, understanding, conversation—let’s find a way to connect. That way, young people will oppose the enemies of the country, not the national government.”

Commenting on public opinion polls, the prime minister noted that the campaign has already kicked off, and warned not to give too much weight to polling data. What matters, he said, is actual public opinion, especially feedback on specific issues.

“We’re going to work hard, and we’re going to win big,” he stated regarding the upcoming election.

Viktor Orban also noted that political debates haven’t just expanded into the digital space—they’ve moved there entirely. All information and public discourse now take place in the digital space, and this new environment has its own features, this is a new thing that must be learned.

“We must not surrender this space to the rampaging leftist-liberal forces. We cannot allow our power of persuasion to weaken. We need a digital conquest! Maybe that’s how we’ll get closer to young people,” said Viktor Orban.

He stressed that those who care about their homeland and nation must also be at home in the digital space. He also addressed a point raised by left-wing political analyst Gabor Torok, who asked whether a failure in political communication or the economic situation would pose the biggest threat to Fidesz’s reelection in 2026. Both fields pose real challenges, PM Orban said.

He emphasized that setting up the “Digital Civic Circles” is a highly complex task. As he put it, the “Fight Club” represents the tip of the spear, those willing to fight when needed. But the majority of the country isn’t made up of people like that; most want peace. The Digital Civic Circles were created for them, and Viktor Orban encouraged people to join.

3% Home Loan Program and a Tax Revolution

Speaking about the economy, PM Orban said it impacts the fate of 10 million people and is inherently a political issue that affects elections. He argued that for Hungary’s economy to enter a strong growth trajectory, peace must come first. EU countries, he noted, are pouring vast sums of money into the war in Ukraine. "We have to protect what we have. Still, we’re not giving up on a few big goals."

I’ve been hammering away at this 3% home creation program.

"On September 1, anyone—regardless of family status—can walk into a bank and get a loan. There’s nothing like this anywhere in Europe. Nowhere else can an 18-year-old get such an opportunity to live in their own home," he pointed out.

Viktor Orban also made it clear that he didn’t want to give up on the tax revolution, something he had long hoped to achieve: that working women with at least two children would be permanently exempt from paying personal income tax. He  described this as unprecedented worldwide. “Women who choose to have children must never be left financially vulnerable. That’s what the tax revolution is about,” he said. Despite war and tough economic conditions, he added, “we’re not letting this go.” On the political dimension of the economy, he said: everything is in turmoil in Europe, but the government has achieved a lot even under such circumstances, if that is enough, they will win next year.

Viktor Orban addressed accusations of corruption within the governing parties, frequently pushed by opposition media. He pointed out that since his government came to power, Hungary’s state assets have doubled. However, he admitted that “we still won’t be satisfied with our public services for a long time.” He noted that in 2026, the government plans to spend 280 billion forints more on public services than in 2025. Still, even with that increase, visible improvements will take time, which also applies to railway development.

Recalling their 2010 election win, he said his government took over a country on the brink of bankruptcy and has since completed about 70 percent of the backlog of work. He stated that “we still need four to six more years,” and by then, Hungary will no longer have anything to be ashamed of in terms of public services—even when compared to Western countries.

When will peace finally come?

In response to the question of when peace will come, Viktor Orban said it’s crucial to first clarify the cause of the war and who exactly is at war with whom. Speaking on the root causes, he explained that peace is created by a balance of power. When that balance is disrupted, war breaks out. He pointed out that the West and the Ukrainians decided to shift Ukraine out of its role as a buffer zone and push it toward the West and NATO.

"That tipped the balance of power. We were lucky because we were able to join NATO in 1999 when Russia was too weak to respond. But now they are strong again. So if anyone tries to move closer to NATO, Russia responds. That’s what happened with Ukraine," he said. From the point of view of international law, he said, the Ukrainians are right, and it’s right to sympathize with them, „even though they don’t treat us nicely.”

If there is balance, there is no war. If that balance breaks, war begins.

According to him, the balance between East and West has broken down. The only question was whether Russia would accept this or not. "If you disrupt the balance of power, the other side will respond," he explained. "The Russians have stated that they believe they have the right to keep NATO weapons away from their borders," he added. "These are the realities. If you violate them, there will be consequences.” He said peace will only come once Ukraine and the West accept that NATO cannot be allowed to come right up to Russia’s borders.

Hungary’s Task Is to Stay Out of the War

The prime minister made it clear that Hungary’s task is to stay out of the war. He recalled that Hungary wanted to stay out of both World Wars, and failed both times. No world war, he said, has ever begun with anyone formally declaring one.

He emphasized that staying out of a war is not just a matter of intention—it requires strength. Since the war began in 2022, Viktor Orban said, his government has been working to build that strength, especially in areas like the economy and national defense.

In Viktor Orban's opinion, this war will not end until the US president and the Russian president reach an agreement, neither law nor diplomacy will lead to a result. They must agree on all issues important to the world, such as the issue of armaments. The EU is taking on massive loans for weapons, which only pays off if the weapons are used. The West must agree with the Russians on armaments, the world's energy supply, and sanctions against the Russians. The question whether Russia can enter another country's economy cannot be settled through Ukrainian-Russian bilateral military negotiations. He does not consider an agreement between the two presidents to be out of the question. "It’s like a marriage. At the end of the day, we stay together, right?” he quipped.

PM Orban said that when a country is attacked, help should be given if possible. Hungary has done this, he said, by accepting Ukrainian refugees. But, he added, Ukrainians in Hungary can only receive the same level of support as Hungarian citizens, not more. "We had no say in how Ukraine responded to Russia. All we can be asked to provide is the most basic Christian obligation to help. If we give more, we’ll ruin ourselves. That cannot be asked of us, and it must be said clearly. I will not take responsibility for even a single young Hungarian dying for Ukraine," he stated.

Will the Russians attack NATO?

He pointed out that Russia has a population of 140 million, the EU has 400 million, the UK has 70 million—and that’s not even counting the United States. "We outnumber them, we have more money, and our defense industry is more advanced. How would the Russians defeat us if they can’t even take four Ukrainian regions?" he asked. "Russia is not in a condition to pose a real threat to Europe," he pointed out.

Regarding the Russia's threat to the Baltic states, he also discussed how seriously one can take NATO's article that states that if one member state is attacked, all others will consider it as if they were attacked.

He reminded the audience that Poland had mutual defense treaties with the West during the Second World War, but after Germany's attack, Western response was delayed by months. However, since NATO was founded, no one has dared attack a member state.

No member state can afford to not help another if attacked, PM Orban stressed. "The Baltic countries should believe in NATO. No one could be so foolish as to attack any NATO country, especially with the US and Turkey as members.”

Viktor Orban also noted that, for the first time in 85 years, Germany is rearming. This could make Germany the strongest military power in Europe, fundamentally shifting how we think about European security: it will overturn the balance of power.

The Balkans as Europe's Powder Keg

Regarding the prison sentence of Milorad Dodik (the leader of Republika Srpska was convicted in a second instance) and the events in the Balkans, the Hungarian prime minister said: the problems there are because the EU failed to integrate the new Balkan states. Taking a look look at the map between Hungary and Greece shows that this region is practically crying out for being part of the EU, which is why great power rivalries are taking place, involving Americans, Russians, Turks, Europeans and even Arabs.

"Hungary must form an alliance with the Serbs—they need it too. We’re already seeing signs of this in infrastructure and rail development. Many Serbs live in Bosnia, where Dodik is the elected president of the Republika Srpska. Dodik was convicted for refusing to implement EU decisions, which is unacceptable. Dodik remains the democratically elected leader of the Serbs living in Bosnia, and we will continue to shape our policy accordingly,” he emphasized.

He also stressed the importance of building alliances with North Macedonia, Albania, and Bulgaria, saying good relations are crucial for pushing the migration control line further south. "Soon we’ll see migration waves of hundreds of millions heading toward Europe. If we don’t stabilize Africa, we’re in serious trouble, because Africa hasn’t even started moving yet. We must prevent an invasion, a new influx. The next generation of politicians will face the task of stopping the migrant wave heading toward us from Austria," Viktor Orban projected.

"We must reach agreements with Orthodox Christians in the Balkans, with Romanians, with Slovaks, with Poles because only together can we preserve a Christian Europe. If we don’t form political alliances, we’ll be crushed and end up like the countries of Western Europe," he said.

Migration: Hungary Must Be Preserved As It Is Now

On the topic of migration, Viktor Orban emphasized that he believes Hungary can be force the migration pact on us, we can maintain our way of life. While Western countries have surrendered, we must rebel," he stressed.

He explained that under the EU migration pact, Hungary would be required to set up camps to accommodate 30 thousand migrants, and Brussels would dictate how many people must be admitted during times of high migration pressure. "There are only two paths: submission or rebellion, and Hungary will not choose submission.”

In conclusion, Viktor Orban also shared personal plans: he’ll be vacationing in Croatia in the second half of August. "Every Hungarian needs to see the sea at least once a year," he said. "The liberal press is interested in everything I do. But I gave up long ago on doing anything just to please them," he said, adding that he plans to rest a bit and return refreshedin order to defeat the new opposition that has emerged from the ruins of the old Left next year.

Viktor Orban revealed he plans to read Spiró György Padmaly, a novel by Gyorgy Spiro about Mihaly Tancsics. "Hopefully I’ll get through it by the end of the summer,” he said. He also mentioned that he will be speaking at the annual Kotcse civic picnic, which takes place the day after the Ireland–Hungary football match. To prepare for that speech, he plans to read two or three political books in addition to the hefty Spiro novel. "I wish you all a great vacation!” Viktor Orban concluded. 

 

Viktor Orban Viktor: MCC is flowing strong! 

"MCC is flowing strong! We’ll be going live from Esztergom at 4:30 pm," Orban highlighted on social media. As previously  reported by Magyar Nemzet, the Prime Minister will participate in a panel discussion today with Gergo Kereki, editor-in-chief of Mandiner online, on the festival’s main stage.

Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: Facebook)