Tough as nails
Most people would run and hide under a blanket if they had to endure the kinds of attacks Magyar Peter has. Whether it was ex-wife laying out all their dirty laundry in a 105-minute tell all. His ex-girlfriend secretly recording him and then selling the tapes. Ad hominem attacks like calling him “Pszicho Peti”. Being accosted right in his face by a pitbull by the name of Menczer Tamas. Or relentless negative media coverage by state-run media outlets.
But Magyar Peter hasn’t run off with his tail between his legs. He has been able to dust himself off and carry on. To me he has shown extreme bravery in putting himself out there day-in-day-out against an engrained system that wants to retain its power no matter what.
Strangely, the attacks seem to make him stronger and more confident. And it also makes his support base back him even more.
Hard worker, high energy
It’s actually incredible how much he has done in just 10 months. He has given hundreds of speeches, interviews and press conferences; he’s done tours of hospitals, children’s care homes and flood areas; he’s gone on marathons and to concerts; he’s taken tiktok videos of him cooking and gardening; he posts about two to three times per day on social media reacting to news and generating the news; and he’s doing the hard work of being a European Parliamentarian while also trying to establish his own party for the 2026 Hungarian elections.
We don’t know much yet about how he is a boss of his team, but he is able to motivate them to get organised and take action. Whether it’s getting his merchandise webshop off the ground in weeks, organising his regional speaking tour, coordinating volunteering and donation programs, or having research done so that his speeches are tailored to the audience, he’s able to lead his team to bring ideas to life quickly and effectively
Quick humour
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Seems to be enjoying himself.
Intelligent
L– Intelligence: can remember a lot, really good Hungarian, incredible debater, quick on feet.
Fast learner
(interviewing style, social media, He lets things go if something doesn’t work (e.g. 56 flag being Tisza’s symbol, or saying that Rogan should get his private jet ready to escape)
Patriotic
of the people.
And what about Orban?
Orban is a hugely talented politician and it would be a mistake to underestimate him no matter how good some of Magyar’s personality traits are for the job of opposition leader.
He is a beloved figure for many Hungarians since giving this speech in 1989 when he basically told the Russians to get out of Hungary and people thought he was an incredibly brave young man for doing so.
He has also been for decades – he gave that historic speech when he was 26 years old. He’s had a total of 20 years as Prime Minister (so far) so he is hugely experienced and therefore perceived as a steady hand. For a country that has been through a lot that stability is valuable and not something you just discard willy nilly.
When you listen to him speak, he is a very soothing, level-headed, mature speaker. You feel that he knows what he is talking about and knows what to do next.
He is known for seeing himself street-fighter. Always ready for a fight, and always positive that after this particular fight is won things will be better. People want to believe this positive vision and like that about him.
On the flipside, Orban is overweight compared to Magyar’s slim build – and this visual is something that plays into the perception of him being staid, slow, low energy. While Magyar is driving the news cycle and out about actively doing things, it’s like Orban is trailing behind.
You also don’t see Orban with the people – he’s always travelling overseas or engaging with a limited number of press and close associates. This makes him look aloof and out of touch, especially compared to Magyar Peter who posts photos of himself sitting with homeless people or taking selfies with adoring crowds.
