{"id":1869457,"date":"2026-03-25T18:14:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1869457"},"modified":"2026-03-25T18:14:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:14:04","slug":"hungarian-election-will-europes-far-right-help-orban-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1869457","title":{"rendered":"Hungarian election: Will Europe’s far-right help Orban win?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76506255_6.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B4sn<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
From left to right: Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom; Marine Le Pen of France\u2019s National Rally; Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban; and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Budapest on March 23, 2026Image: Marton Monus\/REUTERS<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The turnout to what was billed as the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly” in Hungary wasn’t exactly overwhelming. Despite the presence of some of Europe’s best-known far-right politicians, only\u00a0around 2,000 people gathered in Budapest\u2019s Millenaris Park last Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban<\/a> appeared alongside other prominent leaders from the ranks of European populist and far-right movements,\u00a0including Geert Wilders from the Netherlands<\/a>, Marine Le Pen from France<\/a> and Santiago Abascal of Spain. The crowd seemed mostly made up of older supporters of Orban’s Fidesz party.<\/p>\n

An elderly woman who lived in the US for a long time and recently returned to Hungary<\/a> told DW: “I want Fidesz and peace to prevail.” Another participant explained she was there because,\u00a0“I am a Hungarian, peace-loving\u00a0Christian\u00a0and\u00a0I stand for conservative values.”<\/p>\n

\"Geert
Geert Wilders of the Dutch Party for Freedom speaks in Budapest Image: Attila Kisbenedek\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Orban\u2019s prominent guests delivered eulogies to Hungary\u2019s prime minister that bordered on a personality cult. Wilders called\u00a0him a “lion,” Italy’s Matteo Salvini praised\u00a0him as a “true hero” and Austria’s Herbert Kickl said\u00a0in a video message that Orban was\u00a0the “only one who can see among the blind in Brussels.”<\/p>\n

Orban\u00a0himself delivered\u00a0an uninspired speech full of the cliches he has become known for. Once again, he promised\u00a0that “patriotic forces will take Brussels.” He told\u00a0the audience that EU countries\u00a0led by liberal-progressive governments\u00a0are sliding further into economic and social ruin, while Hungary, under his leadership, is thriving with a booming economy.<\/p>\n

In his speech,\u00a0there were parallels to\u00a0those of\u00a0former communist dictators, who proclaimed victories\u00a0over capitalism as\u00a0their countries sank deeper into desolation and misery \u2014 a situation that exists in many\u00a0parts of the Hungarian countryside.<\/p>\n

Fidesz\u00a0lags behind the opposition<\/h2>\n

“Events like this are a communication offensive tailored to the pre-election period,” says political scientist Bulcsu Hunyadi, head of research at\u00a0the\u00a0Political Capital consultancy\u00a0in Budapest<\/a>. “They are meant to demonstrate how many international allies Viktor Orban has and portray him as a significant player in global politics. But if you look closely, they only reach an audience that is already sympathetic to Orban.”<\/p>\n

\"Viktor
Viktor Orban at a Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest in May 2022Image: Hungarian Prime Minister’s Press Office\/Zoltan Fischer\/REUTERS<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Saturday, Orban had taken the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference, commonly known as CPAC\u00a0Hungary, where he gave a similar performance. At both events, the prime minister came across as an aging autocrat who is running out of ideas but\u00a0stubbornly clings\u00a0to power.<\/p>\n

In fact, Orban is in serious trouble ahead of the parliamentary election on April 12. The Hungarian government is diverting all available state financial resources and even personnel from the state apparatus to the election campaign \u2014 which is not legal. Orban’s party, the Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz, still trails the opposition party Tisza, or the\u00a0Respect and Freedom Party, by a wide margin in the polls.<\/p>\n

Corruption and scandal<\/h2>\n

Orban has tailored his election campaign entirely around the bogeymen of\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0and the European Union<\/a>\u00a0with the theme of “war or peace.” But domestically, he is hampered by corruption and environmental scandals, as well as the question of just how much he, the self-proclaimed “sovereignist,” is under Russia’s thumb.<\/p>\n

The latest corruption scandal centers on former National Bank chief, Gyorgy Matolcsy. Years ago, he had the National Bank of Hungary, or MNB, building in Budapest luxuriously renovated,\u00a0at a cost of roughly \u20ac275 million ($319 million). Among other things, Matolcsy had a deluxe bathroom\u00a0built for himself out of gold and black marble, complete with golden toilet brushes and golden toilet paper holders.<\/p>\n

The Matolcsy family and the National Bank have been making headlines for years. The former MNB president was revealed to have funneled public funds into a complex\u00a0scheme, which Matolcsy\u2019s son Adam and his circle of friends used to finance their lavish lifestyle. The latest scandal surrounding the MNB building renovation came to light because the independent media outlet,\u00a0444.hu, won a long legal battle to have relevant documents released. The golden toilet brush has become a symbol of the decadence and arrogance of the Orban elite.<\/p>\n

\"A
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting on February 23, 2026, in BrusselsImage: Yves Herman\/REUTERS<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\nAt the same time, a scandal about a battery factory\u00a0north of Budapest also\u00a0continues to stir public outrage in Hungary. There\u00a0Samsung had violated environmental regulations<\/a> for years and exposed workers to toxic heavy-metal dust. Although the government was aware of this, it took no action.<\/p>\n

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is even said to have prevented the factory from being sanctioned. For many Hungarians, this only reinforces impressions of an elite that seeks to enrich itself at the cost of citizens’ health and the environment.<\/p>\n

Close ties to the Kremlin<\/h2>\n

In addition, there is the growing controversy about Russian influence during the Hungarian election campaign and on the country’s government. Investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi published a transcript of a 2020 conversation between Foreign Minister Szijjarto and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, in which Szijjarto submissively asks for campaign assistance for populist and far-right nationalist parties in Hungary\u2019s neighbor,\u00a0Slovakia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A few days ago, it emerged that Szijjarto had been calling Moscow regularly during European Council meetings in Brussels, in order to brief the Kremlin leadership. Szijjarto himself has since admitted to the conversations\u00a0but described them as standard diplomatic practice. Still, this is a stark contrast to the “sovereignty” the Orban government often emphasizes. It often denigrates political opponents as paid puppets of foreign powers who undermine Hungary\u2019s sovereignty.<\/p>\n

That’s why the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly”\u2014\u00a0the event was named after the nationalists’\u00a0political group in the European parliament \u2014 also rubbed some Budapest residents the wrong way.<\/p>\n

On Szell Kalman Square, just a few hundred meters from Millenaris Park, many passersby hadn\u2019t even heard of the gathering. But others expressed outrage. Dani, a young man in his mid-twenties, called the event “pathetic.”\u00a0The string of recent scandals had undermined the nationalists’ reputations, he said.<\/p>\n

“The fact they still think it\u2019s convincing to play the role of the great Hungarian is unpleasant,” he concluded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in German.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

\n

The turnout to what was billed as the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly” in Hungary wasn’t exactly overwhelming. Despite the presence of some of Europe’s best-known far-right politicians, only\u00a0around 2,000 people gathered in Budapest\u2019s Millenaris Park last Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban<\/a> appeared alongside other prominent leaders from the ranks of European populist and far-right movements,\u00a0including Geert Wilders from the Netherlands<\/a>, Marine Le Pen from France<\/a> and Santiago Abascal of Spain. The crowd seemed mostly made up of older supporters of Orban’s Fidesz party.<\/p>\n

An elderly woman who lived in the US for a long time and recently returned to Hungary<\/a> told DW: “I want Fidesz and peace to prevail.” Another participant explained she was there because,\u00a0“I am a Hungarian, peace-loving\u00a0Christian\u00a0and\u00a0I stand for conservative values.”<\/p>\n

\"Geert
Geert Wilders of the Dutch Party for Freedom speaks in Budapest Image: Attila Kisbenedek\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Orban\u2019s prominent guests delivered eulogies to Hungary\u2019s prime minister that bordered on a personality cult. Wilders called\u00a0him a “lion,” Italy’s Matteo Salvini praised\u00a0him as a “true hero” and Austria’s Herbert Kickl said\u00a0in a video message that Orban was\u00a0the “only one who can see among the blind in Brussels.”<\/p>\n

Orban\u00a0himself delivered\u00a0an uninspired speech full of the cliches he has become known for. Once again, he promised\u00a0that “patriotic forces will take Brussels.” He told\u00a0the audience that EU countries\u00a0led by liberal-progressive governments\u00a0are sliding further into economic and social ruin, while Hungary, under his leadership, is thriving with a booming economy.<\/p>\n

In his speech,\u00a0there were parallels to\u00a0those of\u00a0former communist dictators, who proclaimed victories\u00a0over capitalism as\u00a0their countries sank deeper into desolation and misery \u2014 a situation that exists in many\u00a0parts of the Hungarian countryside.<\/p>\n

Fidesz\u00a0lags behind the opposition<\/h2>\n

“Events like this are a communication offensive tailored to the pre-election period,” says political scientist Bulcsu Hunyadi, head of research at\u00a0the\u00a0Political Capital consultancy\u00a0in Budapest<\/a>. “They are meant to demonstrate how many international allies Viktor Orban has and portray him as a significant player in global politics. But if you look closely, they only reach an audience that is already sympathetic to Orban.”<\/p>\n

\"Viktor
Viktor Orban at a Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest in May 2022Image: Hungarian Prime Minister’s Press Office\/Zoltan Fischer\/REUTERS<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Saturday, Orban had taken the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference, commonly known as CPAC\u00a0Hungary, where he gave a similar performance. At both events, the prime minister came across as an aging autocrat who is running out of ideas but\u00a0stubbornly clings\u00a0to power.<\/p>\n

In fact, Orban is in serious trouble ahead of the parliamentary election on April 12. The Hungarian government is diverting all available state financial resources and even personnel from the state apparatus to the election campaign \u2014 which is not legal. Orban’s party, the Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz, still trails the opposition party Tisza, or the\u00a0Respect and Freedom Party, by a wide margin in the polls.<\/p>\n

Corruption and scandal<\/h2>\n

Orban has tailored his election campaign entirely around the bogeymen of\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0and the European Union<\/a>\u00a0with the theme of “war or peace.” But domestically, he is hampered by corruption and environmental scandals, as well as the question of just how much he, the self-proclaimed “sovereignist,” is under Russia’s thumb.<\/p>\n

The latest corruption scandal centers on former National Bank chief, Gyorgy Matolcsy. Years ago, he had the National Bank of Hungary, or MNB, building in Budapest luxuriously renovated,\u00a0at a cost of roughly \u20ac275 million ($319 million). Among other things, Matolcsy had a deluxe bathroom\u00a0built for himself out of gold and black marble, complete with golden toilet brushes and golden toilet paper holders.<\/p>\n

The Matolcsy family and the National Bank have been making headlines for years. The former MNB president was revealed to have funneled public funds into a complex\u00a0scheme, which Matolcsy\u2019s son Adam and his circle of friends used to finance their lavish lifestyle. The latest scandal surrounding the MNB building renovation came to light because the independent media outlet,\u00a0444.hu, won a long legal battle to have relevant documents released. The golden toilet brush has become a symbol of the decadence and arrogance of the Orban elite.<\/p>\n

\"A
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting on February 23, 2026, in BrusselsImage: Yves Herman\/REUTERS<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\nAt the same time, a scandal about a battery factory\u00a0north of Budapest also\u00a0continues to stir public outrage in Hungary. There\u00a0Samsung had violated environmental regulations<\/a> for years and exposed workers to toxic heavy-metal dust. Although the government was aware of this, it took no action.<\/p>\n

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is even said to have prevented the factory from being sanctioned. For many Hungarians, this only reinforces impressions of an elite that seeks to enrich itself at the cost of citizens’ health and the environment.<\/p>\n

Close ties to the Kremlin<\/h2>\n

In addition, there is the growing controversy about Russian influence during the Hungarian election campaign and on the country’s government. Investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi published a transcript of a 2020 conversation between Foreign Minister Szijjarto and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, in which Szijjarto submissively asks for campaign assistance for populist and far-right nationalist parties in Hungary\u2019s neighbor,\u00a0Slovakia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A few days ago, it emerged that Szijjarto had been calling Moscow regularly during European Council meetings in Brussels, in order to brief the Kremlin leadership. Szijjarto himself has since admitted to the conversations\u00a0but described them as standard diplomatic practice. Still, this is a stark contrast to the “sovereignty” the Orban government often emphasizes. It often denigrates political opponents as paid puppets of foreign powers who undermine Hungary\u2019s sovereignty.<\/p>\n

That’s why the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly”\u2014\u00a0the event was named after the nationalists’\u00a0political group in the European parliament \u2014 also rubbed some Budapest residents the wrong way.<\/p>\n

On Szell Kalman Square, just a few hundred meters from Millenaris Park, many passersby hadn\u2019t even heard of the gathering. But others expressed outrage. Dani, a young man in his mid-twenties, called the event “pathetic.”\u00a0The string of recent scandals had undermined the nationalists’ reputations, he said.<\/p>\n

“The fact they still think it\u2019s convincing to play the role of the great Hungarian is unpleasant,” he concluded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in German.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The turnout to what was billed as the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly” in Hungary wasn’t exactly overwhelming. Despite the presence of some of Europe’s best-known far-right politicians, only\u00a0around 2,000 people gathered in Budapest\u2019s Millenaris Park last Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban<\/a> appeared alongside other prominent leaders from the ranks of European populist and far-right movements,\u00a0including Geert Wilders from the Netherlands<\/a>, Marine Le Pen from France<\/a> and Santiago Abascal of Spain. The crowd seemed mostly made up of older supporters of Orban’s Fidesz party.<\/p>\n

An elderly woman who lived in the US for a long time and recently returned to Hungary<\/a> told DW: “I want Fidesz and peace to prevail.” Another participant explained she was there because,\u00a0“I am a Hungarian, peace-loving\u00a0Christian\u00a0and\u00a0I stand for conservative values.”<\/p>\n

Orban\u2019s prominent guests delivered eulogies to Hungary\u2019s prime minister that bordered on a personality cult. Wilders called\u00a0him a “lion,” Italy’s Matteo Salvini praised\u00a0him as a “true hero” and Austria’s Herbert Kickl said\u00a0in a video message that Orban was\u00a0the “only one who can see among the blind in Brussels.”<\/p>\n

Orban\u00a0himself delivered\u00a0an uninspired speech full of the cliches he has become known for. Once again, he promised\u00a0that “patriotic forces will take Brussels.” He told\u00a0the audience that EU countries\u00a0led by liberal-progressive governments\u00a0are sliding further into economic and social ruin, while Hungary, under his leadership, is thriving with a booming economy.<\/p>\n

In his speech,\u00a0there were parallels to\u00a0those of\u00a0former communist dictators, who proclaimed victories\u00a0over capitalism as\u00a0their countries sank deeper into desolation and misery \u2014 a situation that exists in many\u00a0parts of the Hungarian countryside.<\/p>\n

“Events like this are a communication offensive tailored to the pre-election period,” says political scientist Bulcsu Hunyadi, head of research at\u00a0the\u00a0Political Capital consultancy\u00a0in Budapest<\/a>. “They are meant to demonstrate how many international allies Viktor Orban has and portray him as a significant player in global politics. But if you look closely, they only reach an audience that is already sympathetic to Orban.”<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Orban had taken the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference, commonly known as CPAC\u00a0Hungary, where he gave a similar performance. At both events, the prime minister came across as an aging autocrat who is running out of ideas but\u00a0stubbornly clings\u00a0to power.<\/p>\n

In fact, Orban is in serious trouble ahead of the parliamentary election on April 12. The Hungarian government is diverting all available state financial resources and even personnel from the state apparatus to the election campaign \u2014 which is not legal. Orban’s party, the Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz, still trails the opposition party Tisza, or the\u00a0Respect and Freedom Party, by a wide margin in the polls.<\/p>\n

Orban has tailored his election campaign entirely around the bogeymen of\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0and the European Union<\/a>\u00a0with the theme of “war or peace.” But domestically, he is hampered by corruption and environmental scandals, as well as the question of just how much he, the self-proclaimed “sovereignist,” is under Russia’s thumb.<\/p>\n

The latest corruption scandal centers on former National Bank chief, Gyorgy Matolcsy. Years ago, he had the National Bank of Hungary, or MNB, building in Budapest luxuriously renovated,\u00a0at a cost of roughly \u20ac275 million ($319 million). Among other things, Matolcsy had a deluxe bathroom\u00a0built for himself out of gold and black marble, complete with golden toilet brushes and golden toilet paper holders.<\/p>\n

The Matolcsy family and the National Bank have been making headlines for years. The former MNB president was revealed to have funneled public funds into a complex\u00a0scheme, which Matolcsy\u2019s son Adam and his circle of friends used to finance their lavish lifestyle. The latest scandal surrounding the MNB building renovation came to light because the independent media outlet,\u00a0444.hu, won a long legal battle to have relevant documents released. The golden toilet brush has become a symbol of the decadence and arrogance of the Orban elite.<\/p>\n

\nAt the same time, a scandal about a battery factory\u00a0north of Budapest also\u00a0continues to stir public outrage in Hungary. There\u00a0Samsung had violated environmental regulations<\/a> for years and exposed workers to toxic heavy-metal dust. Although the government was aware of this, it took no action.<\/p>\n

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is even said to have prevented the factory from being sanctioned. For many Hungarians, this only reinforces impressions of an elite that seeks to enrich itself at the cost of citizens’ health and the environment.<\/p>\n

In addition, there is the growing controversy about Russian influence during the Hungarian election campaign and on the country’s government. Investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi published a transcript of a 2020 conversation between Foreign Minister Szijjarto and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, in which Szijjarto submissively asks for campaign assistance for populist and far-right nationalist parties in Hungary\u2019s neighbor,\u00a0Slovakia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A few days ago, it emerged that Szijjarto had been calling Moscow regularly during European Council meetings in Brussels, in order to brief the Kremlin leadership. Szijjarto himself has since admitted to the conversations\u00a0but described them as standard diplomatic practice. Still, this is a stark contrast to the “sovereignty” the Orban government often emphasizes. It often denigrates political opponents as paid puppets of foreign powers who undermine Hungary\u2019s sovereignty.<\/p>\n

That’s why the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly”\u2014\u00a0the event was named after the nationalists’\u00a0political group in the European parliament \u2014 also rubbed some Budapest residents the wrong way.<\/p>\n

On Szell Kalman Square, just a few hundred meters from Millenaris Park, many passersby hadn\u2019t even heard of the gathering. But others expressed outrage. Dani, a young man in his mid-twenties, called the event “pathetic.”\u00a0The string of recent scandals had undermined the nationalists’ reputations, he said.<\/p>\n

“The fact they still think it\u2019s convincing to play the role of the great Hungarian is unpleasant,” he concluded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in German.<\/em><\/p>\n

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[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76506255_6.jpg”] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B4sn From left to right: Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom; Marine Le Pen of France\u2019s National Rally; Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban; and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Budapest on March 23, 2026Image: Marton Monus\/REUTERS The turnout to what was billed as the “Patriots’\u00a0Grand Assembly” in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1869457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1869457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1869457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1869457\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1869457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1869457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1869457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}