A Hungarian YouTuber has ‘accidentally’ interviewed the mother of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during the Peace March held on 23 October in Budapest. The video has since gone viral across Hungary, with analysts describing it as an ‘unexpected magic weapon’ for Fidesz’s campaign ahead of the 2026 parliamentary election.
The interviewer, István Kersák, was virtually unknown before the video’s release. According to his channel, he began producing political content four months ago, with most of his videos receiving fewer than 1,000 views. In contrast, the interview with Orbán’s mother, Erzsébet Sipos, has already attracted more than 377,000 views, 11,000 likes, and over 3,500 comments at the time of writing.
The Orbán family has long been the target of corruption allegations from Hungary’s opposition and Western media outlets. In the interview, Sipos firmly rejected claims of a luxurious lifestyle at the Hatvanpuszta estate, where she lives with the prime minister’s father, Győző Orbán. She called the accusations ‘fabrications’, stressing that Viktor Orbán ‘has nothing to do with the estate’. She explained that the property—formerly Archduke Joseph’s manor—had been a ‘dilapidated farmstead’ when the family purchased and renovated it.
Sipos also dismissed reports circulated by outlets such as POLITICO Brussels alleging that the family keeps exotic animals, including zebras, on the property. ‘In order to have zebras, we would actually have to paint a zebra crossing on the road,’ she joked, adding, ‘There are no zebras in Hatvanpuszta. It’s stupid—whoever came up with it is crazy.’
Turning to domestic politics, she commented on the emergence of Péter Magyar, a former insider from Fidesz’s circles who now leads the opposition. ‘Most people are not involved in politics. When someone appears who promises good things, many people side with them without really knowing them,’ she said. ‘I’m not saying that everyone supports the opposition because they are against Viktor, but when such a mood starts, many people criticize him without knowing who he truly is.’
She also shared a personal anecdote illustrating the effects of prejudice on political attitudes. She recalled that while collecting signatures for her son in a past election, an elderly woman refused to sign, saying: ‘I don’t vote for Gypsies.’ Despite her attempts to reason with the woman, the prejudice persisted—until she revealed her identity as Viktor Orbán’s mother. ‘She was very embarrassed, and I felt sorry for her because people can be misled,’ Sipos said. She added that if her son were of Gypsy origin, ‘I would be even more proud of him, because rising from where he started to where he is now would be an extraordinary achievement.’ She concluded: ‘That’s how silent propaganda works.’
‘Even if he weren’t my son, I would still support him’
Sipos also spoke about the Peace March, noting that she has attended every one since the first in 2012. ‘It’s a beautiful atmosphere, but it’s a shame that we have to march for peace—that it doesn’t come naturally. That’s worrying,’ she said. She expressed unconditional support for her son: ‘Of course I support him. Even if he weren’t my son, I would still support him.’
The interview rapidly spread through Hungarian media, both pro-government and opposition. Political analyst Attila Tibor Nagy, speaking to the Ultrahang YouTube channel, described it as an ‘unexpected magic weapon’ for Fidesz’s campaign, saying Orbán’s mother ‘came across as natural and likeable—a kind grandmother anyone in Hungary could imagine.’ He added that she spoke ‘in a much more appealing way’ than typical Fidesz-affiliated public figures, concluding, ‘She certainly did not harm her son; on the contrary, she helped him—and she did so entirely spontaneously.’
Watch our video about the Peace March below:
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