Polls open in Hungary in crucial election that could oust Orbán

A man votes at a polling station in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 12, 2026. AP/Denes Erdos Hungarians began voting this Sunday in what is considered Europe’s most important election this year, a vote that could unseat populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an ally of US President Donald Trump, after 16 years in power. ✅ Follow g1’s international news channel on WhatsApp It’s a pivotal moment for Orbán, the European Union’s longest-serving leader and one of its biggest antagonists, who has come a long way from his early days as a fiery, anti-Soviet liberal to the pro-Russian nationalist admired today by the global far right. The polls opened at 6am local time and closed at 7pm (2pm Brasília time). Orbán and his main opponent, Péter Magyar, were expected to vote in the morning. The election is closely watched in countries in Europe and other continents, which demonstrates the preponderant role that Orbán plays in far-right populist politics around the world. Members of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement are among those who see Orbán’s government and his Fidesz political party as shining examples of conservative, anti-globalist politics in action, while he is repudiated by defenders of liberal democracy and the rule of law. Casting her vote in Budapest on Sunday morning, 62-year-old retiree Eszter Szatmári said she felt the election was “basically our last chance to see anything vaguely resembling democracy in Hungary.” “We all need to make a real effort to show the world that we are not what people thought we were for the last 10 years,” she said. After the first hour of voting, 3.6% of registered voters had voted, according to the National Electoral Office. The number represents a record in Hungary’s post-socialist history and almost double the participation recorded in the same period of the 2022 elections. Dynasty threatened Hungary goes to the polls in elections that could end Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power, amid a direct dispute against a former political ally and allegations of foreign interference. Polls indicate that the opposition could win by a wide margin and cause a historic turnaround in the country. ▶️ Context: Orbán is one of the main names on the current far right. He was first elected prime minister in 1998 and governed the country for four years. In 2010, he returned to power with a landslide victory and has remained in office ever since. Orbán’s party, Fidesz, has a large majority in Parliament. The party worked to rewrite the Constitution and pass laws with the aim of creating an “illiberal Christian democracy”. The Prime Minister’s policies restricted press freedom, weakened the Judiciary and limited the rights of minorities, such as the LGBTQIA+ community. On the other hand, anti-migration measures and a nationalist and conservative stance helped maintain popular support. Orbán’s actions generated friction with the European Union, which suspended billions of euros in transfers to Hungary for violations of democratic standards. Orbán has won the last four parliamentary elections by a wide margin. The fragmented opposition, combined with the prime minister’s political control, helped to consolidate these results. This year, the scenario changed. With the economy stagnating for three years and the enrichment of an elite linked to the government, Orbán lost internal strength and saw his former ally Péter Magyar gain ground. Magyar leads the center-right Respect and Freedom party, known as Tisza. The opponent claimed to have been inspired by Orbán at the beginning of his political career, but he distanced himself from the prime minister, started accusing the government of corruption and changed parties. Magyar gained ground by promising rapprochement with the European Union and Western allies — a stance opposed by Orbán in recent years. At the same time, he seeks conservative support by defending the maintenance of policies to combat illegal immigration. The opponent also bets on speeches aimed at social media and rallies with a patriotic aesthetic. By criticizing the current government, he began to be seen by supporters as someone who “stands up to the system”. The result was a jump in polls. According to Reuters, recent surveys by independent institutes place Magyar’s party far ahead of Orbán’s party. An estimate based on five opinion polls carried out between February and March indicates that Tisza could win between 138 and 142 of the 199 seats in Parliament. With this number, the opposition party would reach two-thirds of the seats and could promote constitutional reforms. Orbán’s Fidesz is expected to win between 49 and 55 seats. Another far-right party, known as Mi Hazank, is expected to win five or six seats. Elections in Hungary Arte g1 VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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