According to the former Ukrainian foreign minister, people in Ukraine are already “praying” for Péter Magyar to come to power.
This is not surprising. The leader of the left himself has said that a “cornerstone” of their program is Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
As long as the national government is in power, we will not yield to Ukrainian demands or to the demands of the left. That is why Fidesz is the safe choice.
The former Ukrainian foreign minister says that in Ukraine they are praying for Viktor Orbán to fall from power and for a pro-Ukrainian government to take over instead, one that would be led by Péter Magyar. Your answers to the questions will form the cornerstone of the Tisza government’s program. Do you support Ukraine becoming a member of the European Union?
Let’s look at the result.
58.18% voted yes in the VOS.
1️⃣ Linking an External Enemy with a Domestic Opponent (enemy linking)
Excerpt
“People in Ukraine are already praying that Péter Magyar comes to power.”
“a pro-Ukrainian government would seize power”
Technique
The communication links a foreign actor (Ukraine) with a domestic political opponent (Péter Magyar / Tisza Party).
This creates a combined enemy image:
➡️ foreign geopolitical actor
➡️ domestic political opponent
Goal
- to suggest that the opponent serves foreign interests
- to reduce the political legitimacy of the opponent
Effect
The reader may develop the feeling that:
➡️ “if they are elected, foreign interests will take power”.
2️⃣ Patriotic Framing
Excerpt
“As long as the national government is in power, we will not obey Ukrainian commands.”
Technique
The political conflict is framed as an issue of national sovereignty.
The communication divides the political space into two sides:
us
- national government
- Hungarian interests
them
- Ukrainian interests
- left-wing demands
Goal
- to strengthen the image of the government as a defender of the nation
- to trigger emotional identification
Effect
The reader may feel that:
➡️ “the government is protecting Hungarian interests”.
3️⃣ Appeal to Authority
Excerpt
“According to the former Ukrainian foreign minister…”
Technique
The communication refers to the statement of a foreign political figure to support its claim.
This is a classic rhetorical device:
➡️ appeal to authority
Goal
- to make the claim appear more credible
- to provide external validation for the narrative
Effect
The reader may feel that:
➡️ “if a former minister says it, it must be true”.
4️⃣ Reducing a Political Program to a Single Issue (issue reduction)
Excerpt
“The cornerstone of their program is Ukraine’s EU accession.”
Technique
A complex political program is reduced to one single element.
Thus the opponent’s political agenda becomes defined by a single issue:
➡️ Ukraine’s EU membership
Goal
- to simplify the political debate
- to direct voters’ attention toward an emotionally charged issue
Effect
The reader may feel that:
➡️ “the opposition’s main goal is supporting Ukraine”.
5️⃣ Using Voting Results as Legitimacy (majority framing)
Excerpt
“58.18% voted yes”
Technique
The communication uses a percentage result as a source of legitimacy.
This rhetorical approach suggests that:
➡️ the majority thinks this way
Goal
- to present the political position as the will of the majority
Effect
The reader may develop the feeling that:
➡️ “most people support this”.
6️⃣ Simplified Electoral Dichotomy (binary choice framing)
Excerpt
“That is why Fidesz is the safe choice.”
Technique
The communication reduces the political space to two options:
Option 1
- national government
- Hungarian interests
Option 2
- pro-Ukrainian government
Goal
to dramatically simplify the voters’ decision.
Effect
The reader may feel that:
➡️ “there are only two possible choices”.
✅ Summary
The text uses a classic campaign rhetoric structure:
- construction of an external threat
- linking the domestic opponent to that threat
- a national defensive narrative
- majority-based legitimacy
- a simplified electoral dilemma
This combination aims at emotional and identity-based political mobilization.