Hungarian PM, Viktor Orban, is the longest ruling populist in the world, with more than 15 years in power, despite Hungary’s infamous democratic backsliding under his regime. I argue that despite the “vox populi” rhetoric, Orban’s reforms make citizens have a limited say or take in politics, which helps maintain the regime. Media control, patronal politics, party state capture and polarized identity politics ensure politics becomes a mediatized performance, often based on propaganda, fake news or straight lies. This underpins the authoritarian nature of illiberalism, where Orban has absolute power over public will, can manipulate information, and fake democracy to hold onto power.