Hungary election marked by heavy use of AICEFR B2
7 Apr 2026
Adapted from Tunde Feher, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Zulfugar Karimov, Unsplash
Hungary’s parliamentary election on April 12 pits the long-ruling FIDESZ, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, against the recently formed TISZA, led by Péter Magyar. The campaign has been notable for widespread use of generative artificial intelligence in political messaging and for the government’s polarising "us versus them" rhetoric.
BBC polling on April 1 showed FIDESZ at 35 percent and TISZA at 58 percent. Magyar gained national attention after a viral February 2024 appearance on the YouTube channel Partizán and launched TISZA the next month. FIDESZ has governed Hungary for 16 years and Orbán has been prime minister since 2010. In 2025 the ruling party stepped up targeted online campaigning when many younger voters favoured TISZA, mobilising activists in Facebook groups called Digital Civil Circles (DPKs). One account named Not Our War posted a widely noticed war ad.
AI has been used for posters, realistic videos and even a comic book that suggests Magyar has two sides and secretly supports European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. These materials appeared on billboards, at bus stops and online; some ads were labelled "AI-generated" while others were not. The campaign also pushed a false claim about a taxation system supposedly proposed by TISZA, and the government held a national consultation where people responded to the alleged proposal. Fact-checkers have investigated many false claims and found a large amount of disinformation created with AI.
The EU AI Act, which entered into force in August 2024, requires clear labelling for AI political ads and bans "manipulative" use, but it becomes fully applicable only in August 2026. Hungary currently lacks a national law on AI use, leaving the election in a regulatory grey zone. Observers warn this is among the first national votes to feature extensive AI-generated political content, raising concerns about transparency, misinformation and the rules needed to protect democratic debate.
Difficult words
- generative — creating new content or data automatically
- polarising — causing strong opposing opinions among people
- viral — spreading very quickly online or offline
- mobilise — encourage people to take political actionmobilising
- disinformation — false information made to mislead people
- label — mark something with an identifying statementlabelled
- consultation — formal process asking people's opinions
- transparency — openness that allows clear public understanding
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What problems can AI-generated political content create for voters and democratic debate?
- Should countries create national laws on AI use in elections, or are EU rules enough? Explain your view with reasons.
- How important is clear labelling of AI political ads for transparency, and what challenges might labelling face?
