(Adnkronos) – The election campaign for next April’s legislative elections in Hungary effectively kicks off today, with opposing street demonstrations in Budapest. On the anniversary of the beginning of the brief 1956 uprising against the Soviet Union, crushed by the bloody intervention of Moscow’s tanks, a key day for the populist ideology of Fidesz, born as an anti-Soviet force and now, under leader Viktor Orban, very close to Russia.
Fidesz, in power since 2010, said it expects record participation in the commemorations planned in Budapest, which will also include a speech by Orban. The demonstration is described as a peace event. But the summit planned in Budapest in the near future between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on peace in Ukraine, which was supposed to crown Orban as an international leader, fell through, partly spoiling the prime minister’s celebration. He had already tried to present himself as such in the summer of 2024, shortly after assuming the rotating presidency of the EU, when he improvised a “peace mission” that yielded no results other than a trail of controversy, in Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and Mar-a-Lago.
Today, supporters of Péter Magyar, 43, a dissident Fidesz member who has become Orban’s main competitor, were also called to the square. Magyar denounces Orban’s failures, both due to the high inflation crippling the country and the political scandals he has stumbled into. His party, Tisza, is neck and neck with Fidesz in the polls, with a clear lead according to independent research (37 percent against 27, according to the Idea institute). But 25 percent of eligible voters are still undecided. These are voters who, at the last minute in 2022, switched to Fidesz, leading the party to a new victory despite predictions.
Magyar had dissociated himself from the government in 2024, accusing Fidesz of “a series of crimes” and of using state funds to bus its voters to Budapest, promising free meals and vouchers for those who show up.
Magyar also denounced that the government tried to dissuade rental companies from leasing vehicles to the opposition. “We must show them that we will not yield to blackmail, lies, and threats,” he stated. Fidesz communications director, Tamás Menczer, denied the accusations as “fake news”.
Orban described the demonstration called by Magyar, an MEP, as the “Brussels war march” and accused his rival of being a “puppet” of the European Union or a Ukrainian agent who wants to push Hungary into war.
Orban has governed for 15 years with nationalist, populist, and authoritarian policies, anti-migrant stances, and the promise to keep Hungary out of the war in Ukraine.
Magyar, on the other hand, focuses his election campaign on fighting corruption, and denounces that with Orban in power, the country has become the EU’s laggard and one of the most corrupt countries in the bloc. Magyar has expressed solidarity with Ukraine and has pledged to reduce Budapest’s dependence on Russian oil and gas to mark a departure from Russia, with which Orban maintains close ties.
The opposition leader has challenged Orban right in his stronghold, which are the rural areas of the country: he visited 158 towns and villages on an 80-day tour to build a solid base of support in enemy territory.
“The last two elections were free but not fair,” Péter Krekó, political analyst and director of the ‘think tank’ Political Capital, explained to The Guardian, anticipating that the next ones will also be similar in nature.
There is a huge difference in economic resources between the two sides, with Fidesz employing what are called “administrative resources” in Russia. “A certain amount of cunning and a big election campaign” can always manage to shift results. It’s still an open race and Tisza’s lead is not immutable.”
