The Campaign
In June 2017, the Hungarian government launched a nationwide campaign vilifying George Soros after he openly criticised openly the Hungarian government’s stance on the 2015 European migration crisis, portraying him as a threat to national security and linking him to illegal immigration as the architect of a so-called “Soros plan”. Posters featured Soros alongside the slogan “Let’s not allow Soros to have the last laugh!”
The campaign drew condemnation from Jewish organizations, including Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz), for its potentially antisemitic undertones. Despite criticism, Prime Minister Orbán defended the campaign, which was briefly suspended due to the World Swimming Championships and the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hungary. Nevertheless, George Soros continued to appear in the Fidesz government’s subsequent campaigns and communications as a figure portrayed as “pulling the strings” behind the scenes.
“You, our elected leaders, have a historic responsibility not to allow hatred to spread in our country, not to turn the Hungarian people against each other.”
Open letter of András Heisler, the then President of MAZSIHISZ to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the issue of the poster campaign