ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt launched his European campaign by sending a mobile billboard to Hungary that carried an advertisement denouncing Orbán and his position towards the EU. The ad showed Orbán with spread hands and a message, “First he stole our money and now he wants to destroy Europe. Stop Orbán! Values are first”. This liberal billboard toured Hungary and had its final stop in front of Orbán’s house in Felcsút village.
Orbán reacted promptly in a similar way and sent his billboard message to tour around Hungary and then to Brussels. Orbán’s ad mocked Verhofstadt’s views with a message, “Hundreds have died in terrorist attacks since 2015 … but Guy Verhofstadt says we don’t have a migration crisis”. However, the van was stopped by local police in Belgium and they ordered the driver to remove the billboard. This move caused nothing but embarrassment for European liberals, while it gave Orbán powerful PR ammunition.
