The EU is hoping for Orbán's defeat, but does not expect any radical changes, according to Reuters
The European Union is expressing hope that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will be defeated in the parliamentary elections, but does not expect a significant change in the country’s political course.
Reuters reports this, citing European officials.
According to European diplomats, Orbán has repeatedly caused tension in relations with the EU, notably by blocking the decision to grant Ukraine a €90 billion loan. “This was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. The hope that Orbán could be persuaded has vanished,” noted one of the sources.
If Orbán loses, diplomats hope that key decisions regarding financial aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia will be unblocked. At the same time, they do not expect a radical policy shift: Péter Magyar, leader of the opposition party “Tisa,” will likely remain critical of migration and EU expansion.
“The difference will be more in the tone of statements than in the substance,” a diplomat noted. Representatives of Magyar’s team add that a change in power will mean a focus on protecting Hungary’s national interests, rather than on exerting political pressure on the EU.
Péter Magyar, the main rival of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the elections, stated that IT specialists on his team—who have begun to be called “Ukrainian agents”—discovered the use of spyware similar to Pegasus against the opposition party “Tisa.”
Prior to this, Péter Magyar, leader of the Hungarian opposition party “Tisza,” stated that if he wins the parliamentary elections on April 12, he plans to remove key allies of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from power, including the president and heads of judicial bodies.
As a reminder, large-scale rallies took place in Budapest on March 15, featuring Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his main opponent, Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, marking a key stage in the campaign ahead of the April 12 parliamentary elections.
Earlier, Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar stated that Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, together with Russian political strategists, is preparing a large-scale campaign to discredit opponents ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12, 2026.
The Russian Federation has launched a large-scale disinformation campaign in Hungary aimed at strengthening the position of incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of the April 12 elections.
