Analysts on Monday, April 4, 2022, cautioned that Hungary Prime Minister, Viktor Orban’s fourth-term victory could threaten democracy in the country.
They added that the Prime Minister needs to tread a careful path with Brussels to secure much-needed EU funds.
His ruling Fidesz Party extended its Parliamentary majority by two seats in Sunday’s (April 3, 2022) General Election with the turnout at near-record levels, thrashing a united opposition in an election, which overshadowed Russia’s war in neighbouring Ukraine. Analyst, Patrik Szicherle, of Political Capital, pointed out that his success, on top of 12 consecutive years in power, will make him “extremely confident”.
“This victory shows Fidesz that they need not change course, he can continue constructing his illiberal political system”.
Analyst Patrik Szicherle, of Political Capital
Orban, 58, has ruled the EU Nation in Central Europe with a tight grip since 2010, taking control of the Judiciary and other institutions as well as cracking down on civil liberties, which is raising alarm in Brussels.
“We have won a great victory. A victory so great you can perhaps see it from the moon and certainly from Brussels,” Orban told jubilant supporters in a victory speech on late Sunday, April 3, 2022, that reportedly irritated the European Union (EU).
“Conservative politics has won, this is not the past, this is the Europe of the future.”
Hungary Prime Minister, Viktor Orban
A message from Moscow
Russian President, Vladimir Putin, who has become isolated over the war in Ukraine, congratulated Orban on Monday, April 4, 2022, and said he hoped to develop further Moscow ties with Budapest (Hungary’s capital). The Hungarian Nationalist has been a rare Putin ally in Europe and NATO, even if diplomatically, he aligns with the EU over support for Kyiv in the ongoing war.
Orban’s Ordeal with EU and Democracy
Orban has presided over repeated confrontations with the European Union, including over the neutering of the Press and Judiciary, and measures targeting the LGBTQ community.
According to the National Elections Office, with almost all the votes counted, Fidesz Party won 53 percent of the vote compared to 35 percent for the opposition coalition. As a result, Fidesz and its Christian democratic partner, KDNP retained its two-thirds majority in Parliament with 135 seats, two more than the outgoing legislature. Fidesz Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Balazs Hidveghi expressed: “I’m still savouring this victory. We didn’t expect such a big win,” he said.
Elsewhere, the far-right Mi Hazank Party also surpassed expectations and will now enter Parliament for the first time, after crossing the five-percent minimum threshold. However, international observers, who monitored the election, are set to address the media later on Monday, April 4, 2022.
Marta Pardavi of the rights group, Hungary Helsinki Committee, averred the results were “a disaster for Hungarian democracy”.
“We see from other countries how autocrats do not go into reverse mode on their own.”
Rights Group, Hungary Helsinki Committee – Marta Pardavi
What the Future Holds for Orban
Analysts also pointed out that Orban is likely to remain a thorn on the side of Brussels but will seek a compromise to unlock billions of euros of pandemic post-recovery funds. Brussels has not released the funds to Hungary amid a row about rule-of-law issues and has set up an unprecedented mechanism to slash funds to EU members that flout democratic standards.
Analyst Szicherle intimated that “confrontation with Brussels, at least on the rhetorical level, is ingrained into the political strategy of Fidesz. It will not disappear”. Gabor Gyori of Policy Solutions said Hungary needs to secure the Brussels funds.
“In part because of the massive amount of election spending and in part because of the uncertain economic environment he’s going to need financial support from the European Union more even than he needed before.”
Gabor Gyori of Policy Solutions
Orban’s opponent, Conservative Peter Marki-Zay, 49, who lost even in his own District, said the election had been “an unequal fight” pointing out that the government has control of public media. However, Orban has insisted the vote was fair. One failure for Orban, however, was that a referendum on what Fidesz called a “child protection” law banning the portrayal of LGBTQ people under 18s, failed to garner the requisite votes.
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