Fidesz operatives reached out to Momentum at multiple levels this spring, offering money and logistical help if the liberal party would field candidates in the 2026 parliamentary race, former chair of the liberal party, Andras Fekete-Gyor told in a radio interview on 15 July. On the same day, the party's chairman Marton Tomps announced his resignation, citing family reasons.

"They came in several waves, in April, May, maybe even June, offering cash, a lot of it, and helping collect endorsements for candidates," Andras Fekete-Gyor said.

According to the ex-leader, Fidesz operatives offered around HUF1bn (€2.5mn) in cash, roughly equal to the party's annual state subsidy and Momentum was also offered help to collect signatures for candidates. Parties running on the national list must collect 500 endorsements in each of 106 districts, a major challenge for smaller parties.

Momentum officially announced in early June that the party would not run in the 2026 elections after months of deliberation. At the party congress, officials said the move was aimed at promoting a change of government necessary for a regime change. Momentum MPs will focus resources on creating a new democratic framework.

In the interview, Fekete-Gyor, party leader from 2016 to 2022, argued that the ruling party's best scenario would be a crowded opposition field to hurt the chances of the opposition, a tactic widely used in the past.

Fidesz loosened election laws, making it easier for so-called "fake parties" to run and splinter the opposition. Although parties were technically required to repay state campaign funds if they failed to reach 1% of the vote, this rule was rarely enforced. In previous elections, Fidesz activists were known to assist fringe parties in gathering the necessary signatures to qualify.

"They weren't thrilled when we announced we're sitting out 2026", the ex-chair recalled in the interview, adding that opposition supporters have grown weary of the fragmented political landscape and want a single challenger, and right now this is the Tisza Party, led by Peter Magyar.

Independent polls show Tisza leading comfortably in the polls, while government-funded researchers put Fidesz within the margin of error. The former Fidesz insider turned critic now presents a real threat to Viktor Orban's 15-year rule, according to analysts.

Tisza is closing the gap in rural areas, seen as the stronghold of the ruling party, whereas it has massive support in large cities and now mid-sized towns. Support for Fidesz is the highest among people with low education, while for Peter Magyar's party it is strongest amongst young voters, but it also leads in the 40-49 age group as well.

In an interview after the party's congress on July 12, Magyar openly refused to strike a deal with the traditional opposition on future cooperation. "If we open that door, it would mean the end of Tisza," said Magyar, who stressed that the "old opposition" has won just 8 out of 408 rural constituencies since 2010. Tisza would unveil the list of candidates at the November congress.