The party of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a fourth victory in a row on Sunday, much more easily than expected, at the end of the Hungarian legislative elections, in the shadow of the war in Ukraine.
At 58, the dean of the incumbent leaders of the European Union (EU) faced an unprecedented and disparate alliance of six parties, determined to fight “authoritarianism” and “corruption” of 12 years of the Orban era. Analysts had predicted a close battle but the results are clear: Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party won 53.35% of the vote after 93% of the ballots were counted, against 34.75% for the opposition, the Bureau said. electoral national. With this lead, the Prime Minister is guaranteed to retain a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
An “exceptional victory”
The attendance was strong, approaching the records recorded in 2018. “We won an exceptional victory – a victory so big that you can probably see it from the moon, and certainly from Brussels”, declared all smiles Viktor Orban, accustomed to arm wrestling with the EU.
In the jubilant crowd gathered on the banks of the Danube, wearing orange scarves in party colors, Ildiko Horvath, 55, praised his champion: “On very important issues such as the war in Ukraine or migrants, he decides online with what the people want”. Another surprise of the ballot, the young far-right party Mi Hazank exceeded the 5% threshold necessary to enter Parliament.
The opposition denounces an “unequal” campaign
His opponent Peter Marki-Zay addressed his supporters late in the evening. “I will not hide my sadness and my disappointment,” he reacted. Combative despite everything, he denounced “an unequal struggle” against “propaganda”, “a campaign of hatred and lies”.
By slipping his ballot into the ballot box alongside his family, this 49-year-old conservative mayor had earlier denounced “unfair and impossible conditions” aimed at allowing his rival to “remain in power forever”. And to quote public media at the boot of the government – he himself was entitled to only five minutes of airtime on public television, in all and for all.
In the opposition coalition, some, such as the vice-president of Jobbik, Marto Gyongyosi, denounced “irregularities”. Accused by Brussels of multiple attacks on the rule of law, Viktor Orban has muzzled justice and the media over 12 years, while advocating an ultra-conservative vision of society. The ballot was held for the first time under the supervision of more than 200 international observers. Each camp had also deployed thousands of volunteers.
The war in Ukraine hangs in the balance
The conflict in neighboring Ukraine, which erupted in the middle of the countryside, completely upset the situation. Viktor Orban posed as a “protector” of Hungary, a guarantor of peace and stability, refusing to deliver arms to Ukraine and to consider sanctions that would deprive the Hungarians of precious Russian oil and gas.
At the same time, on election posters and in the pro-Orban media, Peter Marki-Zay was portrayed as “dangerous”, accused of wanting to rush the country into war because of his firm support for Ukraine. The candidate may have underlined the closeness cultivated since 2010 by Viktor Orban with the Russian president, calling him a “Hungarian Putin”, his speech obviously did not convince the voters.
Viktor Orban brandished his unexpected success as revenge on his “many adversaries”, citing “the bureaucrats in Brussels, the international media or even the Ukrainian president”. Volodymyr Zelensky had directly targeted the Hungarian leader for his desire to stay out of the conflict.
Congratulations from Salvini and Le Pen
The Italian sovereignist Matteo Salvini and Marine Le Pen, a far-right candidate in a strong push in the polls a week before the French presidential election, immediately sent him their “congratulations”.
The Hungarians were also called upon to answer questions on “the protection of children”, in connection with the recent law prohibiting to discuss with those under 18 “the change of sex and homosexuality”.
This referendum deemed “unhealthy” by NGOs, which had called for protest by ticking the yes and no boxes, failed to gather enough valid votes, according to partial results.