Polls opened this morning in Hungary , voting in elections that could bring an end to Viktor Orban's sixteen-year rule and pave the way for the opposition led by Peter Magyar. The final rallies took place last night: the prime minister in the heart of Budapest, while his challenger held a rally in Debrecen, a historic Fidesz stronghold that has become a hotly contested force. "Every vote counts, let's dismantle the regime and make history together," exhorts the leader of Tisza, leading in all polls, in an attempt to win over undecided voters. Magyar is aiming for the two-thirds majority needed for the rule of law reforms needed to unlock EU funds.

Cornered by polls that place him on the most uncertain ridge of his long reign, the Fidesz leader was undeterred: "There are many of us, we will also reconquer Budapest and show how strong the right is," he assured, asserting a "civic, Christian, and national" model built over sixteen years of leadership. And looking beyond his borders: Donald Trump "is with us," he reminded, thanking the American president for his endorsement, ready to put "all the economic power" of the United States at the service of his Hungarian ally . The vote will move the entire country : over 8 million voters , 199 seats up for grabs, a hybrid system of single-member constituencies and party lists. Turnout is expected to be high , with the potential to exceed the 70% recorded in 2022, driven primarily by younger voters—over 181,000 at their first vote—and by the approximately 500,000 Hungarians abroad, among whom reports of difficulties in voting are beginning to emerge. The real front line remains the two-thirds threshold: the key for Magyar to change everything, the barrier to Orban's resistance. The rhetoric is a last resort, mirrored and frontal.

"The Tisza isn't just flowing, it's already flooded the entire country," Magyar repeated, recalling the Tisza River that gives his political project its name, evoking a wave ready to overwhelm corruption and opacity. The 45-year-old lawyer promised scores to be settled with an independent judiciary, secret archives and contracts to be opened, public funding to state media to be cut, calling for a team "not of prize-winning players, but of true representatives." "If necessary, we will go as far as Dubai or Chad to bring Hungarians' money home," he assured, dwelling on a challenge that also extends to frozen EU funds , a litmus test of the country's future and its ties with Brussels.

"If we get 3 million votes, not even the gates of hell will be able to prevail over us in the next four years," the prime minister reiterated, also rallying young people. After weeks of polls showing Magyar in the lead, the options remain open as the polls approach: a clear re-election (though seen as unlikely) for Orban or a landslide victory for his challenger. Alternatively, narrow margins would drag the country into protracted and unpredictable negotiations. With an added risk: in the event of a close result, neither contender would be willing to immediately concede defeat. And, in the background, the far-right conundrum also weighs heavily. The result of Mi Hazank (Our Homeland)—the only party other than the two main contenders expected to surpass the 5% threshold—could prove decisive for Orban's survival, even through external support.

(Unioneonline)

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