AI videos fuel rhetoric as Orbán bids for four more years in Hungary
AI Videos Fuel Rhetoric as Orbán Seeks Fourth Term in Hungary
As Hungarian voters prepare to cast their ballots on 12 April, a disturbing AI-generated video has emerged to stoke political tensions. The clip, which went viral in February, appears to show a soldier being executed, sparking shock and controversy. It was released by Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, targeting his rival Péter Magyar, whose potential victory could end Orbán’s 16-year tenure as prime minister.
War Story in a Single Scene
The video unfolds with a young girl watching from a window, hopeful for her father’s return from war. Suddenly, the scene shifts to the soldier—blindfolded, tied, and shot by his captors. While the clip is labeled as AI-created, it underscores Fidesz’s claim that the war in Ukraine is an existential threat. “The video is an AI video, but the war is really horrible,” it states, implying Péter Magyar’s opposition to the conflict is a cover for hidden motives.
Fidesz alleges Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, would bring Russia’s invasion to Hungary’s borders if elected. The party claims Magyar supports Ukraine’s war effort through pension funds and forced conscription. However, Magyar’s party denies these accusations, asserting in its manifesto that it will not deploy troops to Ukraine and has no plans for conscription revival.
The ruling party has not confirmed whether it produced the execution video, but its communications director, Támas Menczer, emphasized the urgency of the threat. “The greatest danger is that Hungarian people could die if Tisza wins, because Tisza supports the war, Tisza supports sending money,” he said, without addressing the AI aspect directly.
AI as a Campaign Tool
Magyar has denounced the video as “heartless manipulation,” accusing Fidesz of crossing ethical boundaries. Zsófia Fülöp of Lakmusz, Hungary’s independent fact-checking site, notes that while Fidesz has used disinformation tactics before, the scale of AI-generated content in recent campaigns is unprecedented. “The whole campaign is a disinformation campaign because it’s all based on a complete false narrative that we’re on the brink of war,” she remarked.
Earlier this month, Fidesz allies shared another AI video, depicting a phone call between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Magyar. The caption claimed Magyar would be swayed to fund Ukraine’s war effort, though the video itself did not reveal its AI origin. It gained over 3.7 million views before being debunked by Magyar, who called it fake.
Meanwhile, the National Resistance Movement (NEM), a pro-Fidesz activist group, faced criticism for its use of AI in spreading anti-Ukrainian messages. Last week, Hungarian anti-terrorism police arrested seven Ukrainian bank workers carrying $80 million in cash and 9 kilograms of gold. The incident, described by Ukraine’s state savings bank as a routine Austria-Ukraine transit, was framed by the government as a potential money laundering operation supporting Ukraine.
Despite the AI videos and the cash seizure, Magyar remains ahead in opinion polls. Fidesz’s strategy, which blends real and synthetic narratives, continues to dominate the discourse, with the prime minister warning that the war in Ukraine could become a reality. The party has yet to explain its use of AI in these efforts, leaving questions about the role of technology in shaping public perception.
