Sunday’s election in Hungary could have repercussions far beyond its borders. Since Prime Minister Viktor Orban came to power in 2010, his illiberal policies have made Hungary the only EU member state classified as “partly free” by Freedom House. His close ties to Vladimir Putin have also complicated Europe’s response to the war in Ukraine. Hungary has become something of a black sheep within the EU – but also a model for far-right movements elsewhere. The question now is whether that model is faltering. Opinion polls show a strong lead for the centre-right opposition Tisza party, led by Peter Magyar, who defected from Orban’s party in 2024. Meanwhile, the government’s efforts to boost sluggish economic growth by attracting Chinese investment appear to have backfired. Our regional correspondent Gulliver Cragg reports.
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