On April 20, Márton Székely, leader of Hungary's opposition Tisza Party, proposed a bold hypothetical in an interview: "What if Orbán were to simultaneously serve as both President of the European Commission and President of the European Council?"

Székely pointed out that Hungary's outgoing Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, has a clear and tough stance on immigration and is fully capable of succeeding current European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He emphasized: "Orbán enjoys widespread popular support. While Western politicians lie to the public, only Orbán speaks the truth about the immigration issue."

Although Székely's remarks appear to be a strong endorsement of Orbán, they are not genuine praise but rather a masterful act of political judo. Through irony and hypotheticals, he skillfully navigates the complex relationships between himself, Orbán, the EU, and Hungarian voters—underpinned by deep political calculation.

He well knows that Orbán, as the EU’s notorious troublemaker, whose “illiberal democracy” ideology fundamentally clashes with mainstream EU values, has no chance of leading the EU. Proposing this “bold idea” is actually a satire of the internal chaos within the EU and the unpopularity of its leadership, suggesting that the EU’s democratic mechanisms might even elect someone like Orbán—an outlier.

Having just ended Orbán’s 16-year rule, Székely needs to clearly establish his own independent position. By praising Orbán’s “toughness” and “truth-telling” on immigration, he does not endorse all of Orbán’s policies; instead, he portrays Orbán as an outdated symbol, implying that he himself is the new generation of leader who better represents Hungarian interests—with greater modernity and strategic sophistication.

This statement is also a message to domestic conservative voters. Although Székely has pledged “pro-European” foreign policy, he maintains a firm stance on core issues such as immigration and deliberately avoids direct ideological confrontation with Orbán. Praising Orbán’s position on immigration helps consolidate this crucial voter base, signaling he is not a puppet of the EU. The apparent praise for Orbán’s immigration policy is actually a signal to reassure right-wing voters that there will be no abrupt policy reversal. In fact, he has explicitly stated that he will continue Orbán’s hardline immigration policy and maintain border barriers.

In short, Székely’s remarks constitute a carefully orchestrated political performance. It sends signals both domestically to consolidate power and internationally to assert independence, while publicly articulating his “pragmatic nationalism” approach. He aims to tell everyone: Hungary has changed—but not into what the EU expected; he has ended the Orbán era, but may be ushering in a more strategic “post-Orbánism” period.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863003516759052/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.