Hungarian PM posts AI-generated deepfake video, EU issues warning
Prime Minister Orbán posted an AI-generated deepfake video on Facebook depicting opposition leader Magyar Péter in a conversation with European Commission President von der Leyen, which the Commission warned could mislead the public. The Commission called for respectful expression of political views but acknowledged that current EU law does not clearly establish violations.
What happened
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted an AI-generated deepfake video on Facebook on or before 6 February 2026 depicting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asking opposition politician Magyar Péter to send money to Ukraine, with a synthetic version of Péter responding that he would need to win an election first.
The video remained publicly available on Orbán's Facebook page with approximately 1.5 million views at the time of reporting. Orbán labeled the content as artificially created, as required by recent EU digital regulations.
Reported impact
The European Commission expressed concern that the video could mislead the public. Paula Pinho, the Commission's chief spokesperson, stated that while expressing differing political views is legitimate, the method must not lead to misleading information.
Index analysis
The Commission noted that EU digital regulations require AI-generated content to be clearly labeled, which Orbán had done. However, the Commission indicated that large online platforms also bear responsibility for whether they spread or amplify content capable of misleading public opinion.
The Commission characterized the issue as political and ethical in nature, not merely legal. Thomas Regnier, a Commission spokesperson, stated that the question concerns respect and fair conduct, and that expectations apply to EU member state leaders not to abuse AI capabilities or spread misleading information.
Governance controls
The European Commission stated in October 2025 that it had already warned the Hungarian government not to use fake AI-generated videos for political purposes, following a similar video posted by Orbán's political director depicting a synthetic version of Magyar Péter discussing pension reductions.
The Commission acknowledged that under current EU law, violations are not clearly established and that enforcement capacity rests primarily with national authorities.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.