Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban will face a strong challenger for the first time in 16 years in Hungary's parliamentary elections on April 12, with the result expected to have profound consequences for Europe and its far-right political forces.
Orban's re-election bid will be followed far beyond Hungary's borders. The nationalist leader views U.S. President Donald Trump as an ally against the European Union and has maintained close ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine.
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Parliamentary elections will be held on April 12, President Tamas Sulyok said on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
Orban, 62, who came to power in 2010 in a landslide, has transformed Hungary into a so-called “illiberal democracy.” He has frequently clashed with Brussels over restrictions on independent media, his anti-immigration stance and his crackdown on LGBTQ rights.
In this election, he will face Peter Magyar, a former government insider whose center-right Tisza party has shaken up the Hungarian political scene since its entry in 2024.
Orban's Fidesz party is campaigning under the slogan "The Safe Choice," saying it will keep Hungary out of the war in Ukraine and deter illegal immigrants.
Orban faces a race against time to revive the stagnant economy before elections, as rising inflation following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has caused a cost-of-living crisis.
Meanwhile, the party of Magyar, 44, leads Fidesz in most polls, although a large number of undecided voters adds to the uncertainty.
The Tisza Party had the support of 48% of determined voters, while Fidesz had 40%, according to a December poll by polling company Publicus.
Magyar has said he will keep Hungary firmly anchored in the European Union and NATO and strive for "pragmatic relations" with Russia.
He pledged to unblock billions of euros in frozen EU funds to boost the economy, while taking steps to curb corruption. /Reuters
