A website address intended to direct visitors to a political rally hosted by the Tisza Party is instead linking to an event organized by a separate civil group, sparking accusations of deceptive practices ahead of planned demonstrations on March 15. The incident underscores a growing tension between emerging political factions and established civic organizations in Hungary.
The domain bekemenet2026.hu now redirects users to the Facebook event page for the Tisza Party’s “Rendszerváltó Nemzeti Menet” (National Transition March), according to a statement released Tuesday by the Civil Cooperation Forum (CÖF). CÖF, the organization behind the annual “Békemenet” (Peace March), has condemned the move as misleading.
“The recently created ‘bekemenet2026.hu’ domain deceptively directs interested parties to a political demonstration created by Magyar Péter, creating the impression that it belongs to the official initiative of the Peace March. This is completely contrary to reality,” the CÖF stated in an open letter. The group emphasized that the term “Békemenet” is not a “political marketing tool” but rather a “credible civil initiative” with over a decade of history.
CÖF argues that the use of the “Békemenet” name is not only a legal issue but also a matter of ethics, asserting that the Peace March has consistently advocated for peace and stability, positions they believe contrast with those of the Tisza Party. The organization stated it will explore legal options and take “all necessary steps” to address the alleged misuse of its name.
This is not the first time the Tisza Party has been accused of similar tactics. In January, the party announced it had registered a domain name using the Fidesz party’s new slogan, “Biztos választás” (Secure Election), according to reports.
Both the Tisza Party rally and the CÖF’s Békemenet are scheduled to take place on March 15. The CÖF announced its event in mid-February, following a similar demonstration held last October 23 alongside the Tisza Party’s national march – an event that included interviews with the mother of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and controversial remarks from Nagy Feró.
