Plumbers Are Delivering Babies - Really?

On today’s episode of The Fighters’ Hour, the podcast hosted by Fidesz parliamentary group spokesperson Balazs Nemeth, the guest was Balazs Orban, the Prime Minister’s Political Director, who exposed what he called new fake news. He believes political debate in Hungary has almost entirely moved to Facebook, where, instead of engaging in policy discussions, the Tisza Party is focusing on agitating and riling up its supporters.

Balazs Orban, the Hungarian PM's political director and Balazs Nemeth on the Fighters' Hour podcast (Photo: Screenshot)

"The fact is that political debate has moved into the online space — in Hungary, mainly to Facebook. In other countries, there’s no such concentration; there are more platforms. Here, Facebook is the arena for public discourse. Whoever wants to win has to be there and respond," Balazs Orban said in the live broadcast.

Referring to Peter Magyar, Balazs Orban remarked that if the leader of the opposition suffers from narcissistic personality disorder, that style of communication spreads to opposition activist circles as well. (Photo: Screenshot)

 Yesterday, Peter Magyar claimed that plumbers were allowed into a delivery room during childbirth, but later Telex reported that the people entering were actually surgical assistants carrying out their usual duties. According to Balazs Orban, Tisza Party chief Magyar and his allies are using medical facilities for political battles — something hospital staff are not accustomed to.

Magyar and Allies Lost the Policy Debates — Only Agitation Remains

The PM's political director sees this as a symptom of the Tisza Party’s dead end: they aimed to showcase flaws in healthcare and present better solutions, but now they are avoiding debates because they have no competitive proposals, including on healthcare.

As a result, they have dropped substantive policy programs altogether, focusing only on agitation.

The government politician was also asked about Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ice cream outing with government critical political analyst Gabor Torok, which triggered online criticism of Torok's credibility. 

A commenter suggested the hypothetical scenario: "Imagine, what would have happened if Torok had done what Peter Magyar had in the past (e.g., applauding Viktor Orban from the front row at Tusvanyos). The political director recalled that Magyar once praised the government with the same conviction and vigor he now uses to attack it. At the time, Magyar declared it has never been so good for young Hungarians.

Host Balazs Nemeth reminded viewers that there has already been an assassination plot against the Prime Minister.

Balazs Orban stressed that certain lines should never be crossed in public discourse — whether by artists or politicians.

Majka Concert and “Narcissistic” Peter Magyar

On the Majka concert controversy, Orban said people can have opinions, but boundaries should be respected. He claimed the current online frenzy has existed only since Peter Magyar entered politics last year.

If the opposition leader has narcissistic personality disorder, Orban argued, his style spreads to activists. He noted that Hungary had managed to live in relative normalcy for 15 years and should stay on that course.

Public figures have a responsibility not to cross that line.

Reacting to political scientist Laszlo Keri’s claim that Fidesz supporters should be treated like lepers, Orban repeated that the opposition has nothing left to reach for but agitation, as they regularly lose policy debates. They try to create the impression they are the majority, which is why Fidesz must also be present in the digital space.

Zebra News

The politician said that on major civilizational issues, national unity is needed, or larger powers will sweep Hungary aside. Such issues include a work-based society, opposition to migration and defending national sovereignty — topics that should transcend party politics. He said Hungary’s liberal minority, standing at 10–15%, is still a minority.

Balazs Orban said that he has not accepted any invitation to join the Digital Citizens Circle.  (Photo: Screenshot)

The government’s task is to identify such key issues — currently, the most important is the war. Hungarians expect to stay out of it and maintain peace and security in our country. In elections, voters will choose those who stand by them on these issues; 

those who oppose them will only get so many mandates.

Nemeth recalled HVG’s claim that there were no young Fidesz supporters at the MCC Fest. Orban dismissed it as a pre-written piece, finished before the event began, similar to what Telex did before the 2022 elections. He added that Tisza Party experts declined invitations to the MCC Fest event, and the one representative who accepted later canceled — avoiding policy debates.

Orban also revealed he has not yet accepted any invitations to join a Digital Civic Circle (DPK) but is considering attending all their events. Nemeth recommended for consideration the Zebra Digital Civic Circle, which is open to anyone who rejects “liberal fake news and double standards.”

Housing for Youth, Trump–Putin Meeting

On the housing program, Orban said such an opportunity has never been available to any previous generation, but also stressed it is not a constitutionally guaranteed program, and that left-wing governments in the past have scrapped, albeit less complex, but similar measures.

This is why the upcoming elections matter, he argued — only Viktor Orban and the right can be expected to maintain such programs. Public-sector support must also be strengthened he added, to 

make public service an attractive career, 

As for the 2026 election stakes, he mentioned keeping the utility price cuts, which the Tisza Party’s MEP has called detrimental. On the war, Orban repeated the Prime Minister’s position that 

it can only be ended through U.S.–Russia negotiations. 

Europe, he said, still doesn’t grasp the situation and is lobbying Trump on Ukraine’s behalf, while deals are made over Europe’s head. The Hungarian opposition supports this, even though 

Europe should at least be backing the Americans — but many European leaders are compromised and cannot do so.

He accused them of sacrificing Europeans’ standard of living on the altar of a war plan, and said Hungary must defend its own interests. Referring to Peter Magyar’s self-promoting, exhibitionist style, he concluded: “In this kind of global political situation, a selfie won’t cut it.”

Cover photo: Balazs Orban, the Hungarian PM's political director and Balazs Nemeth on the Fighters' Hour podcast (Photo: Screenshot)