Less than two months before Hungary's election, opposition leader Peter Magyar has accused his rivals of planning to blackmail him with a secretly recorded sex tape, and says he is filing a complaint with authorities. Magyar, who leads long-time Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the polls, suspects there are plans to release a tape of him from August 2024, when he engaged in consensual sex with a now ex-girlfriend at a party. He responded to a photo recently posted online of a bedroom in an apartment dating back to that time.

Leading figures in Orban's Fidesz party claimed they were unaware of the allegations. Magyar made three allegations of unlawful conduct in a statement on Friday, asserting that while no video has been released, one from that date may have been recorded with secret service equipment and could be falsified.

He has previously accused his ex-girlfriend of extortion, a claim she denied, asserting they were both unaware of any illicit video and were ready to take legal action together. Magyar expressed concerns that Fidesz was timing their campaign to coincide with the start of his own efforts, accusing them of attempting to ruin his final week with his sons before the election.

Fidesz communications director Tamas Menczer dismissed Magyar's claims as lies. Although Orban has held power for 16 years, opinion polls suggest Magyar's Tisza party has an eight-point lead. Fidesz's campaign thus far has largely criticized the EU, claiming it's attempting to undermine Orban's government, while US President Donald Trump praised Orban just ahead of a visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Magyar's allegations of smear tactics highlight the tensions and murkiness expected in this rapidly approaching election, as he seeks to reset Hungary's relationship with European partners amidst a tumultuous political climate.