Pro-Orbán Group Acquires Hungary's Leading Tabloid Ahead 2026 Election

Hungarian media landscape is witnessing a significant shift as Ringier, a Swiss media company, sold Hungary's most widely read tabloid, Blikk, along with several other major publications, to Indamedia, a media group closely linked to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party. This acquisition, finalized months before the 2026 parliamentary elections, includes various popular outlets such as women’s magazines, health portals, and automotive publications, expanding Indamedia's reach in the Hungarian media market. Opposition leader Péter Magyar condemned the sale, accusing Orbán and his allies of seizing control of the remaining independent media outlets and eliminating any pretense of impartiality. Indamedia is co-owned by Miklós Vaszily, a prominent pro-government businessman and CEO of the private TV channel TV2, who has been involved in restructuring editorial teams to align with government interests. This media consolidation follows years of Orbán's government tightening control over the press, which has included bankrupting or co-opting independent outlets and bringing public broadcasters under official influence. The move raises concerns about press freedom in Hungary, which ranks 68th in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, as the ruling party seeks to secure its media dominance ahead of a challenging election.