Trouble Ahead: Peter Magyar Could Be Removed from Chessboard, Brussels Unhappy with His Performance

The balloon has been overinflated.

This week, Felhevizy heard several rumors suggesting that Peter Magyar might be taken off the chessboard at the last minute in a bid to have someone else as the candidate to replace the government. Of course, these are just word-of-mouth, Facebook rumors, but as the saying goes: there is no smoke without fire.

Peter Magyar and Zoltan Tarr (Photo: MTI/Tamas Purger)

In this light, Fidesz MP Gabriella Selmeczi’s comment in the online Digital Civic Circle called Zebra (Zebra DPK) is particularly interesting.

A rowing number of people claim that Peter Magyar will not be able to withstand the pressure until spring, and that he will collapse before the vote.

According to the government party politician, it remains a mystery who would replace him: it could be a banker returning from abroad, or perhaps the left wing will simply hold another round of casting.

For now, no one knows what will happen until the elections. In any case, Peter Magyar’s summer ordeal is certainly not to Brussels’ liking, as EU officials have openly declared that they want a change of government in Hungary, yet the stars are aligning differently.

At the Tisza Party’s notorious forum in Etyek, a number of things were said that revealed Peter Magyar’s plans. Brutal words were uttered by Zoltan Tarr: the vice president of the Tisza Party openly stated that until the elections they could say anything, and afterwards they could do anything they wanted. Differently put, they could lie as much as they wanted, and campaign promises could be forgotten once the ballots were counted.

Exposing his devilish plan was a heavy blow for Peter Magyar. What’s more, even his own voters became uncertain after Tarr’s  statements, while undecided Hungarians were frightened by the drastic tax-hike plans.

As is known, Aron Dalnoki – who had also taken an active part in that infamous Etyek forum – prepared a longer, complex economic program for the opposition party, which has since been presented to a broader circle of economic experts. According to Dalnoki’s comprehensive report, the Tisza Party is preparing to introduce a three-tier progressive income tax from 2026.

No wonder Peter Magyar wanted to keep his plan in secret, since the planned "Tisza tax" is nothing less than the exploitation and ruin of Hungarian families. This Etyek blunder, now out in the open, will no doubt significantly cut into the Tisza Party’s support, and if the government can communicate this Tisza-lie effectively to the people, the outcome of the election will hardly be in doubt. Voters like straight, honest talk; they reject hoaxes and lying. The Tisza Party’s balloon, however, was pumped up with lies and hate – but it has been overinflated, and now it is only a matter of time before it bursts.

Brussels is therefore rightfully dissatisfied with its chosen man in Hungary. Peter Magyar is piling mistake upon mistake, and this could easily lead to him being taken off the chessboard, replaced with another piece to face the 2026 elections, Felhevizy thought to himself as he opened the windows in his apartment to let in the fresh autumn air.

Cover photo: Peter Magyar and Manfred Weber (Photo: AFP/Attila Kisbenedek)