Inside the team of Viktor Orbán’s main political challenger

Hungary’s parliamentary election on April 12 is shaping up to be the most serious political test for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in his 16 years in charge of government.

Polling data paints a mixed picture for the outcome of the voting, as Medián — widely regarded as one of the country’s most reliable pollsters — projects a potential two-thirds parliamentary majority for the opposition Tisza Party. Other surveys suggest a narrower lead, while a few still place the ruling Fidesz slightly ahead.

Orbán’s main challenger is 45-year-old Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider turned opposition leader and now Tisza’s candidate for prime minister. While much international coverage has focused on Magyar himself and his views, reporting by Politico highlights the broader team standing behind him, which could shape Hungary’s policy direction if the opposition wins.

According to the outlet, Magyar has been cautious about naming key allies, but two figures on Tisza’s national candidate list have drawn particular attention as part of a technocratic core that could reconnect Hungary with global markets and institutions.

Anita Orbán

The first is Anita Orbán, an international energy expert who, despite sharing a surname, is not related to the current prime minister. She serves as Tisza’s international affairs lead and is widely seen as a potential replacement for Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjártó if the opposition prevails.

She earned her PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 2007 and authored the book "Power, Energy and the New Russian Imperialism" in 2008.

In the early 2010s, she was aligned with the pro-Euro-Atlantic wing of Fidesz, before that faction lost influence, and served as Hungary’s Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security.

Orbán later held senior roles in London within the LNG sector and worked as global director for public affairs at Vodafone Group.

In a LinkedIn post, she said that Tisza is “committed to changing Hungary’s course and rebuilding a country that is free, safe, European, transparent, and truly liveable again—while also restoring our European partnerships and alliances.”

She is known for her strong stance on reducing reliance on Russian energy.

Magyar has said that, if elected, he would keep Hungary firmly anchored in the European Union and NATO, while maintaining “pragmatic relations” with Russia.

István Kapitány

Another key figure is István Kapitány, Tisza’s chief adviser on the economy, trade, and energy.

After nearly 40 years at energy giant Shell — where he rose to global executive vice president and oversaw operations in more than 80 countries — Kapitány is seen as the most experienced technocrats in Magyar’s circle.

In a social media post, he shared his “dream of a free, democratic and prosperous Hungary,” outlining priorities such as “developing human skills, introducing more and more modern technology and most important of all creating a levelled playing field for all players in our economy.”

Like Anita Orbán, he emphasized the importance of “restoring our European partnerships and alliances that are historically so important for our nation!”

Both figures have been welcomed by opposition supporters, as well as parts of the business and diplomatic communities, as signs of Tisza’s seriousness and international credibility.

However, supporters of Fidesz have criticized them as being too closely aligned with Western and “globalist” institutions.

Other figures in Magyar’s camp

Tisza’s candidate list also points to a broader team of potential policy specialists:

Defence: Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, former Chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces

Healthcare: Zsolt Hegedűs, member of Hungary’s Medical Chamber ethics board

Social policy: Kriszta Bódis, psychologist and founder of a foundation supporting Roma children

Program development: Zoltán Tanács, party strategist and former consultant

The list also includes prominent cultural figures, such as internationally renowned opera singer Andrea Rost, actor Ervin Nagy, and four-time Olympic fencing champion Krisztián Kulcsár.

By Nazrin Sadigova