On April 12th, the eyes of European capitals will be turned towards Hungary, where the political future of Viktor Orbán and therefore the European Union is at stake. Legislative elections will be held, and the eurosceptic Hungarian Prime Minister, who has been in power for 16 years, is trailing in the polls against his opponent, Péter Magyar, a center-right MEP and leader of the opposition Tisza party.
A defeat for Viktor Orbán would be good news for defenders of the European Union, given the recent escalation between the Hungarian Prime Minister and European institutions, particularly regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
Viktor Orbán is focusing his campaign on hostility towards Ukraine and the EU, leveraging fears. The Hungarian Prime Minister, a strong ally of Russia, has made the conflict in Ukraine a centerpiece of his campaign, meeting with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin multiple times since the beginning of the war.
In recent weeks, the Hungarian leader has increased his hostility towards Ukraine by using his veto power within the EU to block the European budget of 90 billion euros, crucial for Ukraine to avoid bankruptcy during the war. Orbán justifies this veto by accusing Kiev of delaying repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline, damaged during the war and essential for Hungary’s supply of Russian oil.
The close ties between the Hungarian Foreign Minister and Moscow have been a point of contention raised by opposition leader Peter Magyar. The press has revealed evidence of the Hungarian Foreign Minister engaging in close telephone exchanges with Russian authorities, including working towards lifting EU sanctions against Russia.
The battle between Orbán and Brussels over the rule of law is another point of tension. The European Commission has frozen 22 billion euros of funds allocated to Hungary due to violations of the rule of law, including concerns over judicial independence, press freedom, oppression of minorities, and corruption.
If Péter Magyar wins, there will be an effort to restore democracy and the rule of law in Hungary. However, the process is expected to be challenging, as seen in Poland, where similar democratic issues arose under the previous conservative government.
The situation in Hungary is being closely watched, with concerns over the erosion of democratic values and the rule of law. The upcoming elections will have significant implications for the future direction of Hungary’s political landscape and its relationship with the EU and Russia.
