"Now or never," Péter Magyar told the Hungarians, during an intensive nationwide campaign ahead of the April 12 elections. This 45-year-old, a former insider of the Fidesz party, which ended Viktor Orbán's rule in Hungary since his first victory in 2010, followed by four consecutive terms. Magyar's slogan dates back to a revolutionary call by a 19th-century poet to rise up for the homeland. He shortened this message to "Now," erasing the words "or never," to give it more urgency. Magyar has built a strong support base over more than two years by traveling across the country, even to small towns and villages where Fidesz traditionally dominates. He has traversed Hungary in a marathon campaign, with up to seven speeches a day. Last year, he walked 300 km from Budapest towards the border with Romania in a campaign to "reunite" the nation, aiming to draw traditional Fidesz voters to his side. Magyar promises to fight corruption, improve the economy, and has sought to win the support of the Roma community, which is disadvantaged. He has also pledged to unlock billions of euros in EU funds, frozen mainly due to concerns over the rule of law in Hungary. But Orbán during the election campaign portrayed him as a "puppet" of the EU and Ukraine, avoiding rapprochement with Brussels and promising voters that "we are the true party of peace." Magyar's confidence comes from a deep knowledge of his opponent. Until February 2024, he was an important part of Fidesz. He joined the party during university and married one of its rising figures, Judit Varga, with whom he has three children. Then, Magyar shook public opinion with a live appearance on a pro-opposition YouTube channel called Partizán. In a country of 9.6 million people, one million watched as a serious Péter Magyar explained why he had had enough of his party. "Everyone warned me against this, friends, family, people I know," he told host Márton Gulyás. "Of course, I have been part of this system for a very long time." Hungary was in the midst of a scandal where President Katalin Novák had granted clemency to a person involved in covering up sexual abuse at a state-run children's home. She resigned, as did Magyar's ex-wife. Judit Varga had been justice minister and had signed the pardon. Her political career came to an end. Now outside Fidesz structures, Magyar saw this as his moment. "I do not want to be part of a system where the people in charge hide behind women," he wrote on Facebook. At the end of the Partizán interview, Magyar spoke about hope for political change, acknowledging that it would be difficult as long as Orbán was in power. The current opposition was completely incapable, according to him, so change had to come from within. He predicted that when it happened, it would be swift. His YouTube interview went viral. "It was not a planned move," he later told the BBC. "My mother called me not to go, but I did the opposite. Everyone knew the situation in Hungary, it is not very safe to speak out against this government." His high-profile marriage had ended in 2023, but he remained an important figure in Fidesz, though not widely known to the general public. He was a typical representative of Orbán's social conservatism. The son of two lawyers, his mother was a high court judge, Magyar had an interest in politics from an early age. He attended an elite Catholic school in Budapest and then studied law at a Catholic university, during Orbán's first term as prime minister (1998-2002). Magyar joined the party after Orbán's election loss, while his wife became justice minister in 2019. He himself served as a diplomat at Hungary's permanent mission in Brussels and then led Orbán's team in the European Parliament, as well as holding positions in state-owned companies. His dissatisfaction with the party grew gradually. "Over time, I became more and more critical," he said. "The Fidesz we see today is very different from the one I joined in 2002." The turning point came in 2024. For a while, he worried if he had made a mistake: "I have three children and I was very worried about their future." The next big moment came on March 15, 2024, a national holiday commemorating the 1848 revolution. While Orbán spoke at the National Museum, Magyar addressed about 10,000 people, accusing the government of corruption and economic mismanagement. He announced the creation of a new party, just weeks before the European elections. Magyar also released a secret recording with his ex-wife, causing major controversy. She accused him of abuse, which he denied. He also clashed with a former friend and Orbán minister, who called him a "traitor." Orbán, asked about him, replied briefly: "He left Fidesz, that's it." Meanwhile, Magyar was gaining political ground and forming new alliances. He took over the Tisza party and won 29.6% of the vote in the European elections, securing 7 seats in the European Parliament. By the fall of 2024, his party was leading in polls and he criticized Orbán's ties with Russia. He publicly challenged the prime minister: "Why don't you say 'Russians, go home' anymore?" Magyar is not a liberal. He has criticized the fragmented liberal opposition and attacked old political figures. One of the keys to his success has been directly confronting traditional opposition parties and pro-government media. Earlier this year, he claimed to be the target of a "Russian-style" disinformation campaign, including a compromising video. He admitted to an intimate relationship but denied any drug involvement and said he had been set up by secret services. "My conscience is clear," he declared, adding that he had taken tests to prove it. None of the accusations seem to have harmed him so far. As a former Fidesz member, he believes this gives him an advantage. "I know them, I know their tricks. I know they are afraid," he said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not for Péter Magyar, but for the country," he declared before the elections.