Prime minister's tactics to discredit rivals backfire, opponent claims

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is facing criticism that his attempts to discredit political rivals are proving counterproductive. Energy lawyer Máté Tóth has specifically challenged Orbán's justifications for the Paks nuclear power plant expansion, accusing the government of employing misleading tactics.

Tóth, acting as a deputy for László Toroczkai, visited Paks but was reportedly denied access to the Prime Minister. Undeterred, Tóth posted content from the Duna riverside, questioning the necessity of military helicopters for transporting construction materials and suggesting they were used for visual effect in Orbán's videos. Orbán, who has been active online with numerous videos and images of the helicopters at work, responded that low water levels prevented ships from bringing elements close to the site.

Orbán's extensive use of social media, where he also operates as an influencer, has inadvertently boosted Tóth's profile. Tóth's follower count has reportedly increased by at least 10% in recent days, surpassing 100,000 on Facebook. In response, Orbán's team has reportedly begun targeting Toroczkai, accusing him of vacationing abroad. Toroczkai, in turn, points out Orbán's own family vacation in Turkey and notes that his own social media page was deleted, forcing him to communicate via X.