Hungarians vote in landmark election

Hungarians began voting Sunday in an election that could end Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power, upsetting Russia and shocking right-wing groups in the West, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s White House.

A Eurosceptic nationalist, Orbán has created a model of “illiberal democracy” that is seen as a blueprint by President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement and its supporters in Europe.

But after three years of economic stagnation and rising costs of living, as well as reports that oligarchs close to the government are amassing even more wealth, many Hungarians are becoming increasingly fed up with Mr. Orbán, 62.

Opinion polls show Prime Minister Orban’s Fidesz party trailing Péter Magyar’s upstart center-right opposition party, Tisza, by 7 to 9 points, with support for Tisza at around 38 to 41 percent.

Voting for the 199-member parliamentary election began at 6 a.m. local time (4 a.m. GMT) and is scheduled to end at 7 p.m.

“I think we need changes in this country. We need an improvement in the public mood. There is a lot of tension in many regions and the current government only fuels these feelings,” said Mihaly Bakshi, 27, who voted for Tisza at a polling station in Budapest.

Pollsters said this election could result in record turnout.

“It will be important to return to our engagement with the West. This is where Fidesz also started a long time ago, and we may return to the Western path (without Fidesz).”

The vote has been closely watched in Brussels, with many EU countries criticizing Mr. Orbán, a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a close ally of Mr. Trump, saying it eroded Hungary’s democratic governance, press freedom and minority rights.

For Hungary’s eastern neighbor Ukraine, Orbán’s defeat could mean the unblocking of 90 billion euros ($105 billion) in European Union loans essential to Kiev’s war effort. It would also deprive Russia of its closest ally in the EU.

Prime Minister Orbán has described this election as a choice between “war or peace.” During the election campaign, the government put up billboards across the country warning that Tisza leader Magyar would drag Hungary into a war with Russia in Ukraine, a charge he strongly denies.

“I look forward to Sunday’s elections with the best hopes,” Orbán told supporters in his hometown of Székesfehérvár.

“If we know ourselves well, we know our country well, and we know our people well, I have to say that Hungarians will vote in favor of security on Sunday,” he added.

Mr. Orbán has won public support not only from the Trump administration, but also from the Kremlin and Europe’s far-right leaders, culminating with Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Budapest last week.

But his campaign has been rocked by media reports alleging his government colluded with Moscow. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has denied any wrongdoing, but has said his goal is to protect Hungary’s national identity, traditional Christian values ​​within the EU, and Hungary’s security in a dangerous world.

Meanwhile, Magyar, 45, a former Orbán supporter, is capitalizing on dissatisfaction with allegations of state corruption and declining living standards, especially among young voters who want change.

“I’m very excited, but also very scared,” said Krista Tokes, 24, who sells postcards and trinkets in Budapest. “I know that my future depends on this,” she said, adding that she would leave Hungary if Mr. Orbán wins.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s party has been doing good things “on paper,” but young people are struggling more than the government realizes, Tokes said, citing the huge financial aid he has provided to shore up support.

To address support for the under-30s, which stands at just 8%, Prime Minister Orbán scrapped income tax on the youngest workers and launched a mortgage subsidy scheme to help first-time buyers get onto the housing ladder at a time when house prices are among the highest in the EU under his rule.

But the Magyars’ suggestions for change seem to resonate more.

“This will be a referendum on our country’s position and our country’s future,” Magyar said during a final push in the eastern town of Miskolc on Friday.

Analysts have warned that the outcome of the vote remains uncertain as many undecided voters redraw the electoral map in Fidesz’s favor and a large proportion of ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries support the ruling party.

They claim that anything is possible, from a Tisa supermajority to a Fidesz majority that can change the constitution.

If Mr. Tisza wins, the new government, which enjoys a simple majority in parliament, could face a difficult challenge in undoing Mr. Orbán’s legal and institutional changes.