Bajnai Endorses Tisza While Embracing War Hawk Position

In an interview with HVG, Hungary's former left-wing prime minister Gordon Bajnai called for the militarization of Europe, arguing that the time has come for the continent to “finally turn from a herbivore into a carnivore in a world ruled by predators.” Alongside repeating Brussels’ increasingly pro-war rhetoric, Bajnai made it clear that he considers a victory by the Tisza Party desirable—an important signal given his role as a key figure in the old left-wing network, whose members have openly lined up behind Peter Magyar and his party in recent months.

The Same Figures Pushing Their Way Back to the Forefront

On the first day of the year, an interview was published with one of the Tisza Party’s financial backers, Gabor Bojar—like Bajnai, a member of the old liberal-leftist elite. Speaking to Forbes, Bojar said: “I am seriously worried; war cannot be ruled out. And not because Orban says so. But, because Russian expansion may not stop. Unfortunately, I found one of HVG’s recent covers striking, showing Trump and Putin dividing up Europe.”

These coordinated statements are no coincidence. The same circle of individuals that lost power in 2010 is now preparing a comeback—and they are also helping shape Peter Magyar's program.

This applies not only to economic policy plans that include severe austerity measures, but also to foreign policy direction. A recent interview sheds further light on this. Former Foreign Minister Geza Jeszenszky said on M5 television that the Tisza Party turned about a year ago to a group known as V21 for foreign policy advice. In response, the group drafted proposals on Ukraine, among other issues, together with Peter Balazs—who previously served as foreign minister under Gordon Bajnai.

This is how the threads come together, once again bringing Gordon Bajnai’s name to the surface at the forefront of the war agenda.