Hungary is holding a parliamentary election that could be pivotal for the country after 16 years of nationalist leader Viktor Orban's rule. Political newcomer Peter Magyar and his center-right Tisza party are leading in most opinion polls, such as a Publicus Institute poll showing Tisza ahead of Orban's Fidesz party by 38% to 29%. However, with nearly a quarter of voters (25%) still undecided, the outcome of Sunday's vote remains uncertain.

Ahead of the election, both leading parties are accusing each other of election interference and malfeasance. Magyar, in a Facebook post, accused Fidesz of months of election fraud, criminal acts, intelligence operations, and disinformation, stating that "Tisza is going to win this election" and Orban will be "removed by Hungarian citizens he has betrayed." Orban, in turn, alleged in a video that the opposition is "colluding" with foreign intelligence and threatening violence, claiming it is "an organized attempt to use chaos, pressure, and international vilification to call into question the decision of the Hungarian people."

Since being elected in 2010 after the EU financial crisis, Orban has consolidated control over the courts, sidelined NGOs, and muzzled critical media. He is a strong ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has used Hungary's veto power in the EU to obstruct sanctions on Russia and aid for Ukraine. The Tisza party argues that Hungary is suffering under Orban's corruption and clientelism, with democratic backsliding cutting off EU funding. Magyar has pledged to crack down on corruption, unlock billions in frozen EU funds, tax the wealthy, and fix the healthcare system.

Orban has framed the election as a choice between "war or peace," accusing the opposition of seeking to drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine, a claim Tisza denies. Orban said, "This election is about Hungary's future. The choice is clear: dependence and decline, or sovereignty, strength, and peace." Magyar told Reuters the election will decide if Hungary drifts further into authoritarianism or reestablishes its place in Europe and revives the economy, calling it a "last chance to prevent our country being a Russian puppet state."

U.S. political interference has been noted ahead of the vote: U.S. Vice President JD Vance stumped for Orban at a campaign event in Budapest, and President Donald Trump urged Hungarians to vote for Orban, a rare instance of a U.S. president campaigning for a foreign leader. These events highlight international pressure and potential disruptions in the electoral process.

Source: www.dw.com