Putin ally PM Orban wins fourth consecutive term in Hungary's election

Hungary’s populist, pro-Russia Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a fourth consecutive term in an election on Sunday, with his ruling Fidesz party taking two-thirds of seats in the country’s parliament.

“We have defended Hungary’s sovereignty and freedom,” declared the elated Orban, who has been undefeated since 2010, and also previously held the office from 1998 to 2002.

After declaring the victory, Orban said his party had prevailed despite facing interference from left-wing forces at home and “opponents” around the world, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“We have never perhaps looked as good as we do tonight,” he told supporters in Budapest, saying that his party achieved “such a victory that it can be seen from the moon — but from Brussels for sure.”

“We will remember this victory until the end of our lives because we had to fight against a huge amount of opponents,” Orban said, in a veiled reference to the European Union, with which he has shared a fraught relationship.

The six-party opposition bloc had rallied behind one candidate, Péter Márki-Zay, to end the incumbent’s long stint in power, but in the end, they proved no match to him.

With around 91% of votes tallied, Fidesz -led coalition was in pole position with 53%, while a pro-European coalition, United for Hungary, had just over 34%, according to Hungary’s National Election Office.

The vote was monitored by an observation mission sent to Hungary by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations.

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Orban, a vocal supporter of anti-immigration policies and someone who has resisted calls to sever energy ties with Russia, has forged a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He has argued that cutting energy supplies from Russia, which amounts to 90 percent of Hungary’s gas and 65 percent of its oil consumption, would ruin the country’s economy.

Orban had framed this year’s election as a choice between peace and stability, or war and chaos, cautioning voters against electing his opponents.

His rivals have wanted Hungary to take sides with neighboring Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia and act in lockstep with its EU and NATO allies.

Orban, however, has insisted that Hungary should remain neutral in the conflict while maintaining its close ties with Moscow, and continue importing gas and oil from Russia.

On the eve of the election, Zelensky complained that Orban had failed to condemn Putin, criticizing Orban for not siding with Kiev against Moscow.

“He is virtually the only one in Europe to openly support Mr. Putin,” Zelensky claimed.

“This isn’t our war, we have to stay out of it,” Orban said during a campaign rally on Friday, adding that “Zelensky is not voting today,” and that “Putin isn’t running in the Hungarian elections.”

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