Prime Minister Viktor Orban's eldest daughter, Rahel Orban, confirmed reports that her family is preparing to relocate to New York, where she will pursue studies in the autumn, independent Valasz Online broke the news on July 9.

The independent online outlet sought confirmation of the rumours first hand from Istvan Tiborcz, the son-in-law of the prime minister, about the couple's plans to move abroad. A staff member of BDPST Koncept, a company managed by Rahel Orban, acknowledged receipt of the inquiry and promised a reply, which never came.

Instead, the 36-year-old mother of three confirmed on social media that she had been admitted to a US university, 15 years after she spent a summer course at Boston University.

"In recent years, the idea has gradually taken shape in my mind that the right time to embark on a new chapter would be when my youngest child starts school," she said, adding that this represents a tremendous opportunity, but is also a significant decision for her family. "The United States currently offers a dynamic and highly competitive atmosphere that I find especially inspiring. It provides access to a wealth of new knowledge, which I aim to later apply in Hungary. The goal: to learn, gain experience, and bring it home," the Instagram post read.

According to Valasz Online, the couple's plans to move abroad is effectively settled, as school transfer procedures for the children have already been finalised.

The situation echoes the events of 2021-2022, when the Tiborcz-Orban family temporarily relocated to Marbella, Spain, officially citing business-related reasons just months ahead of the election. The news was broke after the 39-year-old businessman acquired a four-star hotel on the Coste del Sol in October 2021.

At the time, some observers speculated that their departure was linked to tightening poll numbers, as the united opposition appeared to be running neck and neck with Fidesz. However, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Fidesz launched an aggressive fear-based campaign that reshaped the political landscape, ultimately securing the party's largest electoral victory since 2010. A few months after the election, they returned to Hungary. 

The timing of the decision has triggered speculation again and many ask whether the couple could make a return to Hungary if Fidesz loses the election.

"Rahel Orban has announced that she and her family are moving to the United States. To study. But of course, it's not because Tisza is ahead in the polls by 15pp... oh no, not at all," opposition leader Peter Magyar sarcastically posted on Facebook, referring to poll numbers which show a massive lead for his Tisza Party.

Pollsters say the centre-right formation, affiliated with the EPP group, is leading in all age groups except those older than 65 and in all settlements except villages. However, Peter Magyar’s party has been steadily closing the gap in rural areas, traditionally Fidesz’s stronghold.

If this trend persists, Tisza could potentially secure a supermajority, which would be necessary to dismantle the Orban regime through democratic means, some analysts argue. Others caution, however, that the ruling party may still regain support by offering pre-election handouts and leveraging its virtually unlimited campaign resources.

Since marrying Viktor Orban's eldest daughter in 2013, Istvan Tiborcz has grown to become a multi-billionaire and one of the most influential businessmen in Hungary through his flagship investment and hotel management BDPST Group, which also includes financial and logistics companies.

Tiborcz's two most valuable assets are stakes in publicly traded digital bank Granit Bank and BSE-listed Waberer's, a leading logistics and insurance group.

BDPST has become a key player in Hungary's premium hospitality sector, blending heritage property redevelopment with luxury tourism. Its strategy focuses on restoring iconic buildings and repositioning them as high-end hotels.

The hospitality portfolio of the businessman includes four operational hotels and three currently undergoing renovation in Budapest. He owns the historic Adria Palace on the banks of the Danube, and the landmark Beaux-Arts Stock Exchange Palace close to the US Embassy in the heart of Budapest.

According to the latest Forbes report, Tiborcz's wealth doubled in 2024 to HUF188bn (€470mn), but investigative journalists claim his true net worth may be substantially greater, with assets potentially held through private equity vehicles. Multiple Hungarian investment funds are believed to be part of this arrangement.

Tiborcz rose to fame in the mid-2010s through his company Elios, which was awarded numerous EU-funded public lighting contracts. OLAF found evidence of criminal conspiracy in 17 of 32 contracts and recommended that Hungary repay €40mn in EU funding. To avoid EU penalties and further investigation, the Orban government transferred these to the national budget, effectively making taxpayers cover the disputed amounts while shielding the case from Brussels' oversight.