What happened

Amidst escalating pre-election rhetoric on Ukraine and EU policies, Fidesz published a 33-second campaign video on its Facebook page that intercuts imagery of a crying child with an AI-generated scene showing a blindfolded Hungarian soldier being shot, implying that opposition party Tisza would lead Hungary into the Ukraine war if elected. 

Deepfake videos of opposition leader Tisza Party Péter Magyar allegedly smashing a cardboard cutout of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán or engaging in unpatriotic activities were also disseminated through state-aligned media and social media groups such as "Harcosok Klubja" (Warriors' Club), usually without clear labels.

Why it happened

The video was released amid a heated parliamentary election campaign ahead of national polls, with Fidesz increasingly turning to AI tools to generate political content that seek to frame its opposition as dangerous or aligned with the European Union.

Government officials argue the videos were "obviously" AI or "just memes," but the high production quality and lack of prominent watermarks misled many citizens; critics argue this reflects a broader strategic use of AI to create emotive and divisive narratives that are difficult for audiences to verify.

This lack of transparency and accountability was compounded by a government-backed infrastructure that prioritised viral engagement over factual accuracy to maintain a "digital warrior" presence.