The era of the liberal world order in international politics is over, ushering in "the era of nations", Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said at an international press conference on January 5. 

In a two-and-a-half-hour Q&A session with international journalists, the only platform for most Hungarian outlets from independent media to question him directly, Orban focused heavily on global and European affairs, while also being grilled on domestic issues. 

With the 2026 general election approaching, he argued voters will choose "the Hungarian way or the Brussels way". In 2026, Hungary will either go the way of Brussels, which leads to war and economic austerity, or the Hungarian way of bringing peace and opportunities for development, of a stronger country, a stronger economy, and a better way of life, he claimed.

He accused the EU of preparing for a "war economy" and prolonging the war in Ukraine by supporting Kyiv, topics that will likely be focal points of the 2026 election campaign. Meanwhile he was forced onto the defensive on issues concerning the cost-of-living crisis, the financial shield by the US, the scandal at the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) foundations, and the enrichment of his family.

"It is not an exaggeration to say that the 2026 Hungarian election will be the last pre-war Hungarian election," he asserted, and ruled out sending weapons or troops.  Hungary will not contribute financially to what he called a "war loan" to Ukraine, which Kyiv would never repay.

Orban said Europe faces a fundamental decision between war and peace and insisted his government’s priority is keeping Hungary out of the war in Ukraine, while calling his opposition challenger a "puppet of the EU" and European People's Party (EPP) president Manfred Weber the "strongest warmonger". 

According to the veteran leader, Hungary’s future is in the EU and in Nato. He advised against leaving the bloc, but added that it may not be necessary as the EU is "gradually disintegrating" and may fall apart.

Orban declared openly that Hungary does not want a common foreign policy, saying that sovereignty in foreign affairs is essential to nationhood. While coordination could be useful, there is no need for a common European foreign policy because of disagreements on issues including Venezuela, the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Orban said Hungary sees China as an opportunity rather than a threat, noting that Hungary traditionally adheres to the One China principle and that Budapest has elevated bilateral relations to an all-weather, comprehensive strategic partnership.

Orban said that before Brexit, the United Kingdom and Central Europe had been sovereigntist and had been able to provide a counterbalance to "the French-German federalist romance". After the UK left the bloc, Central Europe was left to fend for itself and lost its ability to act as a blocking minority, the prime minister said.

Orban described the weekend’s events as the "powerful manifestation of a new world order" and said that Hungary’s position is not to adopt a global moral stance but to assess whether events benefit or harm the country.  The US, together with Venezuela, will now control roughly 40-50% of the world’s oil reserves, which would help drive prices down and be beneficial for Hungary.

Orbán lashed out at the EU’s "misguided" green transition and its energy policy focused on phasing out Russian fossil fuels, saying energy security is now central to national sovereignty. He argued that EU energy regulations have driven up prices and harmed Hungary, and said Budapest is legally and politically resisting Brussels in this area.

On migration, Orban reiterated that Hungary will not accept migrants, build refugee camps, or implement the EU’s migration pact, even at the cost of daily EU fines. He said Hungary "will not become an immigrant country" and accused Brussels of trying to force member states to change who they live with. Many Western European countries, he suggested, would "give their right arm" to be migration-free, he said

The prime minister said he had requested a form of financial protection that would have benefited both Hungary and the United States, but such an arrangement was not yet available and that experts are working on a solution acceptable to all parties. The prime minister returned from his visit to the White House in November, boasting that he had secured such a deal with Donald Trump, only for the US president to refute it a day later, and now Orban was also forced to acknowledge that he had failed to deliver. Because of the US presidential system, "all deals are personal" and remain valid as long as the president wants them to.

The prime minister was also asked about the enrichment of his son-in-law, Istvan Tiborcz, now believed to be the third-richest man in Hungary, the physical abuse at correctional juvenile institutes and foster homes, and the financial losses at the central bank foundations, but on these issues, he offered no concrete answers and deflected responsibility.

Orban was also asked about his muted response to controversial Slovakian legislation that criminalises publicly questioning the Benes decrees, a post-war settlement under which thousands of ethnic Hungarians were stripped of their property and citizenship. He avoided confronting his EU ally, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and instead offered a vague assurance that ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia can count on Hungary’s full support, reiterating his rejection of any form of collective guilt.

A few hours after Orban’s speech ended, Tisza Party leader Peter Magyar laid out his party’s plans for governance and the campaign at an international press conference. Magyar, leading in most independent polls, claimed that Tisza  is ready for a change of government and political system

Magyar said Tisza was "the party of peace" and would form a government of peace, refuting Fidesz's accusations that he would introduce conscription.

He stressed that Tisza has never supported decisions facilitating illegal migration, saying the border fence would be maintained and its cost reclaimed from Brussels, while blaming the government for releasing thousands of human smugglers. The 44-year-old opposition leader also rejected the idea of Ukraine’s fast-tracked accession to the EU and vowed to strengthen V4 cooperation, which is in disarray over Orban’s pro-Putin stance.

In contrast to the prime minister, Magyar concentrated on issues affecting most Hungarians, from inflation to the rising cost of living, and laid out a broad set of campaign promises.

He outlined plans for tax cuts, including reducing VAT on healthy food to 5% and scrapping VAT on prescription medicines. He said a Tisza government would prioritise Hungarian workers over guest labour, local SMEs over multinational companies, and public-sector workers over oligarchs.

The party, he added, would push for affordable housing, competitive jobs, a functional health-care system, and education, as well as inflation-proof pensions and the introduction of the euro as a stable currency.

Magyar said pensions would rise in real terms, personal income tax would be reduced through tax credits for 2.2mn people and a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office would be established.

When asked about potential cabinet appointments, Magyar said tasks would be assigned rather than positions, ruling out super-ministries. Separate ministries would cover education, health care, culture, environmental protection, and rural development. He said heads of foreign affairs and economic development could be named in January, and of education and justice in February.

Magyar insisted that no austerity measures would be needed and expressed confidence that some HUF8 trillion (€21bn) EU funds earmarked for Hungary could be swiftly unlocked by tackling corruption, ensuring the independence of universities and the judiciary, and guaranteeing press freedom.

Magyar said the government had failed to deliver on promises of economic growth, peace, and lower inflation, adding that Hungary had become one of Europe’s poorest and most corrupt countries. He also raised concerns over alleged central bank asset losses and abuses in state childcare.

The new Tisza government would support ethnic Hungarians beyond the borders and would take diplomatic and legal action over Slovak legislation affecting Hungarians there, according to Magyar, who also pledged compensation for former state wards who suffered abuse. He also proposed capping the prime minister’s salary at HUF2.5mn, down from the current level of HUF8mn, following a recent 10% rise.

Zoltan Tanacs, the party’s expert coordinating government preparations, told journalists that Tisza aims to appoint professionals to senior positions who are experienced in international settings while remaining well-versed in domestic conditions. The party would not create super-ministries like the current interior ministry, although a standalone ministry would be established for IT and digitalisation.

Tanacs added that only leadership positions would change and that rank-and-file employees would not face retaliation.

Andras Karman, the party's economic expert, said Hungary could benefit from adopting the euro, and the relevant budget path would be set after examining the budget situation in the first hundred days of government.