Ultraconservatives, populists and nationalists have organized a version of the American CPAC in Budapest under the slogan: “No migration! No gender! No war! Trump era before Trump.” Orbán praises Trump for defending the “soul of the West,” while Trump sends him messages of “a great victory.” The latest campaign is full of direct messages to voters to support Orbán
By Corriere della Sera
On January 11, 2026, a video appeared on Viktor Orbán’s X account praising the Hungarian prime minister, followed by 11 international politicians: Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini, the leader of France’s Rassemblement National Marine Le Pen, Alice Weidel of the German AfD party, Benjamin Netanyahu, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, the president of Austria’s FPÖ Herbert Kickl, the leader of the Spanish Vox party Santiago Abascal, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Argentine Javier Milei. This well-known European and global sovereigntist right-wing group expresses its support for Orbán, who has led Hungary for 16 years and is described as an irreplaceable defender of the nation-state. But for the first time, in the elections on April 12, he risks losing power.
CRITICISM FOR VIOLATION OF EU PRINCIPLES
Since coming to power in 2010, Orbán has concentrated wealth and power in his cronies. Since 2018, the media – newspapers, portals, radio and television – have been under the control of the Central-European Press and Media Foundation (Kesma), which answers directly to the Fidesz party, which was born as a liberal force and then transformed into a bastion of strong nationalism. Fidesz, after leaving the European People’s Party in 2021, joined the Patriots group together with Lega, Vox and Rassemblement.
The judicial system was reformed with early retirements, political appointments of judges and, since 2019, a new network of administrative courts under executive control. Between 2010 and 2023, government-affiliated companies won 45% of their contracts through single-bidder tenders, a practice with a high risk of corruption. For the period 2024–2025, this figure reached 69%. According to the World Justice Project 2025 report, Hungary ranks last out of 27 EU countries in respect for the rule of law and is the only EU country classified as “partly free” by the organization Freedom House.
VETO AND PRESSURE
The most emblematic case was in 2023, when the European Commission decided to release 10.2 billion euros blocked for the conditions of the judicial system, just before a crucial Council where Orbán left the room, allowing the other 26 leaders to start negotiations for Kiev’s accession. The Hungarian state has kept around 20 billion euros frozen from 2022 for reasons of policies in education, immigration, the LGBTQ+ community and university rights, aligning its policy with Putinist and Trumpist orientations.
Hungary, since joining the EU in 2004 until 2024, has been among the largest beneficiaries of structural and cohesion funds, with total investments approaching 30 billion euros for the period 2014–2020 and 21.7 billion euros for the period 2021–2027. From 2010 to 2023, Hungary received between 60 and 65 billion euros net.
THE INFLUENCE OF MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON
Orbán has combined the conflict with Brussels with strategic relations with Russia and the US. The national security strategy published last year by Washington included the aim of supporting sovereigntist governments and parties in Europe, against stronger European integration.
In energy, Hungary is the only country after Slovakia not subject to European sanctions on Russia, importing 74% of its gas and 86% of its oil from Moscow by 2024. In 2025, during a visit to the White House, Orbán secured a one-year exemption from US sanctions and signed contracts for $600 million in liquefied natural gas from the US. The Paks 2 nuclear power project with Russia’s Rosatom, partly financed by Gazprombank, continued work even after the EU Court of Justice annulled its authorisation.
TENSIONS WITH UKRAINE
In January 2026, the southern part of the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine is attacked, disrupting supplies to Hungary and Slovakia. Budapest and Bratislava, in retaliation, block European loans to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. Orbán imposes and then withdraws vetoes for individual sanctions, indirectly favoring Putin’s interests and weakening the EU.
RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA AND INFLUENCE
In the run-up to the election, anonymous profiles, fake videos and artificial intelligence-generated content are circulating online promoting Orbán and discrediting his rival Péter Magyar. The Social Design agency, linked to Russian leaders and under sanctions, has been distributing messages in favor of Orbán. According to the Washington Post, Russian agents from the GRU have interfered in the campaign to create instability and even suggested fake assassinations. Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, is accused of sharing EU Council information with Russia.
END OF THE CAMPAIGN
Ultraconservatives, populists and nationalists have organized a version of the American CPAC in Budapest with the slogan: “No migration! No gender! No war! Trump era before Trump”. Orbán praises Trump for defending the “soul of the West”, while Trump sends him messages of “a great victory”. The latest campaign is full of direct messages to voters to support Orbán.