Viktor Orban declares victory in the election

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Viktor Orban declares victory in the election

(CNN Spanish) – The autocratic Hungarian leader and longtime ally of Russia, Viktor Orban, declared victory in the country’s parliamentary elections, securing a fourth consecutive term in power.

Urban had a party in vids a Features The Hungarian National Electoral Council announced Sunday night that 71% of the votes have been counted.

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine dominated the election campaign, calling into question Orbán’s long relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

In his victory speech, Orban said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the “dissidents” he had to defeat during his election campaign.

Hungary is highly dependent on Russian energy and Orbán has avoided opportunities to condemn Putin’s attack on his neighboring country, complicating EU efforts to present a united front against him.

Although opinion polls predicted a closer race, Fidesz comfortably won most parts of the country. Opposition leader Peter G. Marke did not even win in his district, where he was mayor.

“We have achieved such a great victory that you can probably see from the moon, but certainly you can see it from Brussels,” Orban said in a victory speech on Sunday evening, referring to the prolonged tensions between his government with leaders. from the European Union.

“We will remember this victory until the end of our lives because we had to fight so many opponents,” Orbán, citing a number of his political enemies, including the Hungarian left, the “bureaucrats” in Brussels, told the international media. And the Ukrainian president: We never had so many opponents at the same time. ”

The president achieved tight control over Hungary’s judiciary, media, and educational institutions during his 12 years in power, which will last until 2026. He has pushed for laws against immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community, and has spoken of his intent to build an “illiberal state within the European Union.”

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Orban has campaigned primarily on the platform of keeping Hungarian forces and weapons out of the conflict. He has endorsed most EU sanctions against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, but has resisted going any further, positioning himself as a peacemaker for voters.

Its foreign minister accused the Ukrainian government, on Wednesday, of coordinating with opposition parties in Hungary, without citing evidence.

Even before the invasion, Urban had a thorny relationship with the European Union. His government has been criticized by prominent figures in the bloc over rule of law issues. Earlier this year, Europe’s highest court allowed the European Union to withhold funding for Hungary and Poland for violating democratic rights.

There was also a referendum on Sunday on Urban’s controversial law banning educational materials and programs for children seen as promoting homosexuality and gender redefining.

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