Source: Facebook Péter Magyar
summary of incident
In Rakamaz, Hungary, a pro-government supporter drove a car into a TISZA party campaign stand and made an antisemitic remark referencing Nazi-era atrocities, reportedly telling volunteers they would end up as soap.
Details of incident
On 4 April in Rakamaz, Hungary, a woman identified as a supporter of the governing Fidesz party drove her Suzuki into a TISZA party stand, attempting to disrupt the “Voice of the Nation” referendum signature collection. Video footage shows her slowly pushing the volunteers’ table with her vehicle. When confronted, she exited the car and stated, “There would be soap made from you,” a reference invoking Nazi-era antisemitic imagery.
TISZA party leader Péter Magyar condemned the attack, holding Prime Minister Viktor Orbán politically responsible and warning that government rhetoric contributes to an environment of escalating political violence.
Context of incident
TISZA party is Hungary’s main opposition force as of 2024. The party was founded by Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider, and surged in popularity ahead of the 2024 European Parliamentary elections. Since then, TISZA has been polling even ahead of the ruling Fidesz party, according to most of the reliable pollsters. The emergence of this new challenger has further intensified Hungary’s already polarised political climate.
The ruling Fidesz party has been in power since 2010, with Viktor Orbán serving as prime minister throughout this period. Although Orbán’s government has expressed strong support for Israel and officially maintains a policy of zero tolerance toward antisemitism, several experts have noted that the government and its proxies’ communications often employ doublespeak on the issue. Examples include the government’s campaign against philanthropist George Soros and Orbán’s 15 March 2025 speech, in which he referred to pro-EU politicians, judges, journalists, civil society organisations, and political activists as “bugs” and a “shadow army” requiring a “spring cleaning.”
