Hungarian Anti-European Campaign: Caricatured Zelensky and Opponent of Orbán Spark Outrage and Memes
Following the completion of the referendum on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, Hungarian politicians and media launched a new informational campaign that has stirred widespread discussion both domestically and internationally. Central to this campaign are unusual posters depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alongside opposition leader Péter Mádlyar, as well as caricatured illustrations portraying both as puppets under the slogan 'Like two eggs.' The campaign's message has been met with criticism from the public, especially due to underhanded videos suggesting that Zelensky and Mádlyar are 'two peas in a pod' but are controlled by external 'masters' who aim to draw Europe into the conflict during the war in Ukraine. The videos allege that Zelensky 'pushes' Europe into war, while the Hungarian leader supports Ukraine's EU aspirations, but both are presented as mere actors in a puppet show. This information campaign spread rapidly on social media, notably on Twitter, where memes appeared depicting Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orbán instead of eggs in response to the caricatures. Meanwhile, official statements from the government claimed that 95% of voters in the referendum against Ukraine’s EU accession expressed their opposition, further fueling anti-immigrant and anti-Europe sentiments. Massive protests occurred in Budapest, which became one of the largest demonstrations in recent years, signaling a sharp rise in dissent against the government’s policies and indicating growing unrest within the country.