TISZA has finally presented its top candidate list for the elections on 12. April
Budapest. For months, opposition leader Peter Magyar and his Tisza party were widely portrayed as a one man project driven by rhetorical momentum rather than institutional depth. Now, ahead of the 12 April parliamentary elections, Magyar has begun presenting a broader team of business leaders, diplomats and former officials, several of whom once moved within circles close to Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party.
Magyar, a 44 year old lawyer and former Fidesz member, entered the political arena in February 2024 and quickly drew large crowds to protests critical of the government. After taking over the small Tisza party, he led it to the top of several opinion polls. Yet questions persisted over how a potential change of government would be staffed and whether Tisza possessed sufficient administrative experience.
From one man movement to expert cabinet
In recent weeks, Tisza has unveiled a number of prominent figures. Among them are Istvan Kapitany, a former senior executive at Shell International Petroleum and past chairman of the Hungarian Managers’ Association, and Anita Orban, an economist and energy specialist who served as Hungary’s Special Envoy for Energy Security between 2010 and 2015. Former Chief of the General Staff Romulusz Ruszin Szendi has also been associated with the party. Political scientist Gabor Török told the news portal 24.hu that Tisza’s central weakness had long been the perception of a one man structure – the involvement of figures such as Kapitany and Anita Orban, he argued, signals governing ambitions beyond mere protest politics.
Daniel Rona, speaking to Telex, suggested that established business actors joining Tisza reflect a belief that political change in Hungary is no longer implausible.
Kapitany’s career spans Hungary’s transition to a market economy in the late 1980s through senior international roles at Shell. He previously received the Hungarian Order of Merit. After announcing his advisory role for Tisza in January 2025, leading Fidesz politicians criticised him as representing international business interests rather than national priorities.
Anita Orban, who once belonged to a more Euro Atlantic oriented wing within Fidesz, has faced similar attacks since signalling cooperation with Tisza. Government figures have accused her of acting against Hungary’s energy interests.
Programme presented online
On 7 February 2026, Tisza presented its 240 page election manifesto in an hour long YouTube broadcast rather than at a large scale rally. The programme promises to restore rule of law standards, reposition Hungary as a reliable partner within the European Union and NATO, and implement structural reforms in health care and education. At the same time, it signals continuity in several areas, including family and pension support schemes introduced under Fidesz and a restrictive migration policy.
On foreign policy, the document rejects rapid EU accession for Ukraine but calls for normalized relations and a gradual reduction away of energy dependence on Russia by 2035. Magyar has stated that hundreds of experts contributed to the drafting process, framing the manifesto as evidence that Tisza is preparing for governance rather than protest.
Escalating campaign rhetoric
The campaign climate has grown sharper. Pro government voices continue to question the cohesion and credibility of Tisza’s leadership team. At the same time, Magyar has claimed on social media that compromising material may be released against him. A website using the domain name of Tisza Vice Chairman Mark Radnai, though not operated by him, has appeared online with the message “Coming soon” displayed above an empty bedroom scene.
Whether Tisza’s broadened personnel base will translate into electoral advantage remains uncertain. What is clear is that the opposition is attempting to move beyond a personality driven phase and present itself as a structured alternative to the long entrenched Fidesz system.
Sources: MTI, Wikipedia, 24.hu, Telex
Photo: AP, AFP, MTI, Wikipedia
