An independent investigative group, DE Action Community, has released a shocking documentary alleging systematic vote-buying in Hungary's poorest settlements, involving local mayors and criminal figures. The film claims the ruling Fidesz operates a coordinated network to exert pressure on vulnerable voters, Hvg.hu writes.

The "Price of a Vote", released on March 26, is based on more than 60 interviews conducted with residents, local officials, and former policemen, many of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The documentary, which has garnered 1.4mn views in just 72 hours, has reignited debates over the integrity of elections in Hungary. Fidesz is trailing by as much as 20pp in some polls, but many analysts have warned that these forecasts have not factored in wide-scale vote-buying, which could involve as many as 500,000 people, or 6-7% of eligible voters.

According to the investigative journalists behind the project, the film initially aimed to examine instances of vote-buying, commonly reported by independent media around elections, but it evolved into a deeper investigation exposing a broader structure of organised coercion and systemic manipulation targeting Hungary’s most vulnerable populations.

The documentary sheds light not only on extreme poverty in Hungary's northeastern regions but also on a quasi-feudal system that exploits the marginalised communities. It unravels a system designed both to mobilise voters and punish those who refuse to comply.

At the film's premiere, one of the filmmakers noted that the system used by Fidesz is no longer confined to a single ethnic group, namely the Roma population, but to a wider group of those living in horrific conditions. "Vote-buying is just the icing on the cake," Aron Timar said, according to 444.hu.

A former participant in the operation, speaking anonymously, provided an insider account of the network, highlighting the role of underworld figures in orchestrating vote collection.

According to multiple accounts, voters were targeted in various ways: alcohol was used to intoxicate alcoholics, drugs were offered to substance users, and food packages or small cash sums were provided.

Families were sometimes threatened with intervention from child protection authorities, the documentary said. In some cases, families were monitored or escorted to polling stations to ensure their votes supported the ruling coalition. Those who openly opposed Fidesz were reportedly punished through the withdrawal of public services, including heating, water, or access to public work programmes.

The documentary suggests the system could secure 500,000-600,000 votes, primarily in northeastern counties. According to sources featured in the film, local MPs these districts supply funds to local operatives, who distribute payments through mayors, criminal intermediaries, and other actors.

One local man told the journalists that Fidesz reportedly spent HUF150mn (€390,000) to buy votes in a single district in northeastern Hungary during a 2025 mayoral by-election, which had to be repeated twice amid allegations of electoral fraud. Days after the vote, the local tobacco shop had to ask for help to provide change, as it was flooded with HUF20,000 notes, the highest denomination.

The report also claims that drug dealers actively participate in mobilising voters, with many casting ballots in exchange for a single dose of drugs or cash payments ranging from HUF10,000 to HUF20,000. 

Early morning hours reportedly see the highest concentration of irregularities, when organisers transport voters to polling stations. In some cases, voters are accompanied into booths under the pretext of needing "assistance", with operatives even marking ballots on their behalf.

Coordinators managing transport and paying voters may receive millions of forints, while local polling station organisers reportedly earn between HUF35,000-70,000 for a couple of days of "work".

One fixer interviewed boasted he had received HUF12mn, enough to purchase a luxury home in a rural, less developed area. He added that the scale of voter mobilisation in 2026 will be twice that in 2018, with higher stakes, more money, and greater logistical resources involved.

Tisza Party chief Peter Magyar said at a recent press conference that Fidesz is planning to pay HUF50,000 per vote this time and that several billion had been earmarked for the purpose. 

During filming, the journalists said they faced threats from a local enforcer associated with the mayor. A former police officer later explained that in these small settlements, mayors are often quickly informed whenever investigative journalists are present and asking questions around the community. Data is often transmitted to local police or intelligence agencies. 

The documentary closes with a cautionary message from a former coordinator, warning journalists to exercise care when investigating the criminals behind the operation: "You have no idea what they are capable of."

DE Action Community has announced plans to recruit election-day "watchers" to monitor and report suspected irregularities at polling stations. Volunteers would observe from early morning and relay information via live streams on the group's YouTube channel. Participants will receive training and guidance on legal procedures for addressing electoral violations.

Nick Thorpe, the BBC's senior Central and Eastern Europe correspondent for Hungary since 1998, also covered the documentary upon its release and contacted government officials, ministers, and the police for comment. Minister of Regional Development and Public Administration Tibor Navracsics was the only cabinet member to respond, stating that if any irregularities occur, the Interior Ministry should address them, while declining to comment on specific claims.

Thorpe, who speaks the language, recalled remarks made by Prime Minister Viktor Orban in January. Addressing local mayors, he stated, "The outcome of this election depends on your willingness to step up. If you do, we win; if not, we will not win, even if I put my soul into it." Local analysts have suggested that the prime minister was referring to vote quotas set by Fidesz's central headquarters for each constituency leader.