Election in Hungary

Polling stations have opened in Hungary: “Decisive election”

Polling stations have opened in Hungary in Sunday’s election that could decide Viktor Orbán’s future in power. The prime minister is being challenged by Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party is leading according to polls. Orbán and his Fidesz party have made support for Ukraine a central issue in their campaign, writes AFP. This means that the whole of Europe is following the election closely.

– This is a decisive election. If Fidesz wins now, it will mean a clear shift towards authoritarian rule, says political scientist Andrea Szabo to AFP.

Orbán, who has ruled the country for 16 consecutive years, is seeking a new term. Magyar has promised a “systemic change” and a fight against corruption. Voter turnout is expected to be high and results could be delayed until next Saturday if the result is tied, according to the country’s election authority.

Keys to the Hungarian election – you can keep track of that

Election day in Hungary is underway and several factors will determine the outcome. A first benchmark to keep an eye on is whether any of the parties reaches 100 seats for a majority. The truly decisive limit is 133 seats, which gives them their own control of the system, reports Bloomberg.

Voter turnout is expected to be high, up to 75 percent. High voter turnout, especially among younger voters in cities, benefits challenger Péter Magyar and his party Tisza. It will also be crucial whether he gets support in the countryside, where Viktor Orbán and Fidesz are traditionally strong.

Therefore, on election night, you can pay attention to how Orbán's former strongholds, such as his birthplace Szekesfehérvár, will vote. The election will be decided in 106 single-member constituencies where small shifts can make the election outcome unpredictable, writes the news agency. In addition, late votes from abroad, which are counted last, can outweigh a tied result.

High voter turnout in Hungary – ominous for Orbán

Early figures from Hungary indicate a high voter turnout, which is interpreted as an ominous sign for Viktor Orbán's rule, several media outlets report.

When the clock struck 11:00, 37.98 percent of voters had cast their ballots. For that time, this is a significantly higher figure than the record from 2002, which was the last time Orbán lost an election.

Deutsche Welle writes that the high voter turnout likely reflects the desire for change that many Hungarians have expressed during the election campaign.

– I will cry regardless. Tears of joy if things change, or of sadness if this system remains, software developer David tells the German channel.

Another person who has commented on the voter turnout is Viktor Orbán himself.

“A lot of people are voting. That means one thing: if we want to defend Hungary’s security, no patriot can stay home!”, he writes on Facebook.

The election in Hungary — it’s all about the matter

• Hungary is holding parliamentary elections, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is being challenged by Péter Magyar and the opposition party Tisza, which is leading in several opinion polls.
• The election campaign was marked by accusations of Russian influence and leaks from the government to the Kremlin.
• Orbán is supported by several international right-wing leaders, including US President Donald Trump.
• Economic issues, corruption allegations and the relationship with the EU dominated the election campaign, while the country was pressured by low growth, high inflation and frozen EU funds.
• The election is being monitored by international observers from, among others, the OSCE, and voter turnout is expected to be high, with decisive significance for Hungary’s future direction.