Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Is Viktor Orban right to fear Western interference in Hungary’s election?

Is Viktor Orban right to fear Western interference in Hungary’s election?

Election inspectors, withholding funds, and outright criticism from the US and the EU has concerned the Hungarian PM
Hungarians go to the polls on April 3 in what will be the most bitterly fought election since the country became a functioning democracy in 1990.

The stakes are very high, and they go way beyond Hungary’s borders. The election not only represents a clash of ideologies, but it also forms part of the wider culture war that is currently being fought across the western world.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long painted himself as a strongman, determined to protect his country’s national identity and Christian values. He therefore often finds himself at odds with the European Union and Western leaders, and his closeness to former US President Donald Trump makes him particularly repellent to the Biden administration.

His friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin too irritates the West. Indeed, when the two leaders met recently, Orban argued against sanctions, claiming they “caused more damage to Hungary than to Russia.” He also said he believed “it is possible to reach an agreement that guarantees peace, guarantees Russia's security and is acceptable to NATO member states.”

He is also accused of taking a lenient approach towards China. Hungary is due to open Europe’s first Chinese university and China is also funding the construction of a new Budapest to Belgrade railway. Orban’s government has also denounced the fact that Russian and Chinese Covid vaccines have not been globally recognized, with his foreign minister claiming the decision was “political” rather than medical.

Moreover, the general election will not be the only vote taking place in Hungary on April 3 – a referendum on Hungary’s LGBT law, which bans the teaching of LGBT lifestyles in schools, is also taking place on the same day. Orban, of course, is gambling that the Hungarian electorate back his robust stance on this issue, which has appalled many liberals in Western Europe.

The Hungarian government is therefore bracing itself for outside interference in the election campaign. Orban’s chief of staff warned earlier this week of an “attack,” as he claimed, “the western European elite” want to take over “the helm of Hungary’s ship.” Similarly, last year, Orban himself warned of possible US interference in the election. He told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that “it will happen,” but “we are not worried about it, we are prepared for it.”

Orban has also been at loggerheads with the European Union for some time over the primacy of EU law. As a result, the European Commission is considering withholding funds from Hungary before the election in an effort to get Orban to back down. Orban, however, shows no sign of bowing to Brussels’ demands.

This has led to all sorts of accusations, including one that the Orban government will somehow ‘steal’ the election. Last month, a group of anti-Orban MEPs wrote to the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), calling for a full-scale observation mission to be sent to Hungary to oversee the vote. Of course the ODIHR complied, and has now advocated a large international election observation mission to be sent to Budapest. Orban’s supporters, however, seem relaxed about this prospect, as Hungary’s ambassador to Britain, Ferenc Kumin, has argued that his country’s democratic process is robust and compares favorably to the UK’s.

The West’s obsession with removing Orban has led them to support an odd rag-tag of extremes. The opposition, led by conservative Péter Márki-Zay, is a coalition of convenience, which includes the hard left and the far right. Indeed, I remember the MEPs from one of the parties involved, Jobbik, sitting in the European Parliament wearing uniforms … and these are the characters the West’s liberals want to replace Orban. It is all very surreal.

It looks like it is Orban versus the world at the moment but, to the chagrin of the western liberals, it seems like he is winning. Polls show Orban’s lead widening, with 51 percent of Hungarians saying they will vote for his Fidesz party, a higher percentage than in the last election in 2018. Perhaps this is why there is such nervous activity regarding the election emanating from the West’s corridors of power. Be prepared for them to cry foul if Orban succeeds on April 3.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×