From control over media to curbs on academic freedom: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's policies

A think tank linked to the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Donald Trump to visit Hungary.

This Center for Fundamental Rights' invitation comes as Orbán prepares for a closely fought election due on 3 April. In what is expected to be the biggest challenge to his rule since he was elected prime minister twelve years ago, Orbán Fidesz party faces a united opposition coalition.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-endorses-hungarys-far-right-prime-minister-442078">Trump endorses Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister</a>

The Guardian reports that the far-right Hungarian prime minister hopes Trump's visit to Budapest in the coming weeks will help him in his reelection campaign.

Trump has not yet responded to the invitation, however, if he agrees, the visit would be his first abroad since he lost the 2020 presidential election.

Having the former US president visit in person would be considered a significant campaign boost.

Orbán was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him as early as summer 2016, and he has publically backed him in the 2020 elections. Donald Trump endorsed Orbán publicly for the April election after speaking with him by telephone in January.&nbsp;

“These visits have a huge influence in the Hungarian conservative community, because they see [Trump] as an icon, as someone who spent his presidency in a strong headwind,” said a source close to Fidesz.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-national-archives-requests-a-legal-investigation-into-donald-trump-report-451909">US National Archives requests a legal investigation into Donald Trump: Report</a>

An ex-Republican staffer claims that Trump is known to be fear contracting Covid while travelling abroad and may prefer to stay at home.

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is being held in Budapest, Hungary, from 25-26 March, and it's likely that Trump has been invited for that. A European country will host the flagship conservative event for the first time.

A number of US senators will attend the conference, as will Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party of Spain, and Eduardo Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro's son, according to Miklos Szanthó, the director of the Center for Fundamental Rights.

Hungarian government sources say Fidesz hopes Trump will join Orbán as the keynote speaker for the event.

Watch |&nbsp;Orban tightens grip over Hungary, introduces policies hostile to LGBTQ people

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During a meeting at the White House in 2019, Trump told Orbán that the two men were similar: "You're respected all over Europe. Probably a bit like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK”.

According to David Cornstein, a long-term friend of Trump who served as ambassador to Hungary, Trump admired Orbán for his strongman image and his control of the Hungarian political scene. Cornstein commented in 2019 that Trump would love to be in the position Viktor Orbán enjoys.

Orbán's relationship with Washington soured after Trump left office. Relations with the Trump camp, however, have remained positive. In the recent Democracy Summit hosted by Joe Biden, Hungary was the only EU member that was not invited.

A think tank linked to the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Donald Trump to visit Hungary. This Center for Fundamental Rights' invitation comes as Orbán prepares for a closely fought election due on 3 April.

A think tank linked to the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Donald Trump to visit Hungary. This Center for Fundamental Rights' invitation comes as Orbán prepares for a closely fought election due on 3 April. In what is expected to be the biggest challenge to his rule since he was elected prime minister twelve years ago, Orbán Fidesz party faces a united opposition coalition. Also read | Trump endorses Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister The Guardian reports that the far-right Hungarian prime minister hopes Trump's visit to Budapest in the coming weeks will help him in his reelection campaign. Trump has not yet responded to the invitation, however, if he agrees, the visit would be his first abroad since he lost the 2020 presidential election. Having the former US president visit in person would be considered a significant campaign boost. Orbán was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him as early as summer 2016, and he has publically backed him in the 2020 elections. Donald Trump endorsed Orbán publicly for the April election after speaking with him by telephone in January. “These visits have a huge influence in the Hungarian conservative community, because they see [Trump] as an icon, as someone who spent his presidency in a strong headwind,” said a source close to Fidesz. Also read | US National Archives requests a legal investigation into Donald Trump: Report An ex-Republican staffer claims that Trump is known to be fear contracting Covid while travelling abroad and may prefer to stay at home. The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is being held in Budapest, Hungary, from 25-26 March, and it's likely that Trump has been invited for that. A European country will host the flagship conservative event for the first time. A number of US senators will attend the conference, as will Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party of Spain, and Eduardo Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro's son, according to Miklos Szanthó, the director of the Center for Fundamental Rights. Hungarian government sources say Fidesz hopes Trump will join Orbán as the keynote speaker for the event. Watch | Orban tightens grip over Hungary, introduces policies hostile to LGBTQ people During a meeting at the White House in 2019, Trump told Orbán that the two men were similar: "You're respected all over Europe. Probably a bit like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK”. According to David Cornstein, a long-term friend of Trump who served as ambassador to Hungary, Trump admired Orbán for his strongman image and his control of the Hungarian political scene. Cornstein commented in 2019 that Trump would love to be in the position Viktor Orbán enjoys. Orbán's relationship with Washington soured after Trump left office. Relations with the Trump camp, however, have remained positive. In the recent Democracy Summit hosted by Joe Biden, Hungary was the only EU member that was not invited.

Hungarian far-right PM invites Donald Trump hoping for a positive boost in upcoming elections

Hungary's firebrand nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed a "historic victory" Sunday as his right-wing party took a thumping lead in the country's key parliamentary election.

With almost 98 per cent of votes counted, Orban's Fidesz party has won 48.81 per cent of the vote, the National Election Office (NVI) said, surpassing even the expectations of many within Fidesz.

The score represents an improvement on four years ago and puts the 54-year-old premier on track for a third consecutive term in office -- and more possible clashes with Brussels.

Voter turnout had reached 69.26 per cent, up more than seven points on elections in 2014, the NVI said, with several polling stations forced to open late to accommodate the increase.

Addressing flag-waving supporters in Budapest late on Sunday, Orban said the result gave Hungarians "the opportunity to defend themselves and to defend Hungary".

The crowd cheered as a giant TV screen showed electoral maps of the country almost completely covered in Fidesz's orange colour.

No opposition here

At end of his speech, Orban led the crowd in singing a song from the country's 1848 revolution, "Long Live Hungarian Freedom".

One supporter, 53-year-old Eva Halasz, said: "Viktor is the only leader for Hungary, this proves he has the nation behind him, there is no-one in this country like him, there is no opposition here."

Before the vote, it had been thought that a surge in voter turnout would favour the opposition Jobbik, a far-right party that has been moving towards the centre, and the centre-left Socialists.

However, with nearly all votes counted, results show Jobbik trailing far behind with 19.67 percent, the Socialists on 12.42 percent and the environmentalist LMP party on 6.97 percent.

Jobbik's leader Gabor Vona resigned on Sunday night, as he had promised to do if Jobbik didn't win, and railed against the "lies" and "constant attacks" his party had had to face in the campaign.

It became clear on Sunday night Vona will struggle to win the seat he contested in his hometown of Gyoengyoes.

Mass immigration rejected

Orban will likely seize on the results as vindication of his clashes with EU institutions over his hardline anti-immigration policies and rejection of the EU's refugee resettlement programme, as well as his moves to clamp down on civil society groups.

An Orban victory will also provide a fillip for other nationalist politicians and those on the far-right around Europe who look to him as an inspiration.

In his speech Orban himself thanked Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's governing PiS party, for his support.

Poland and Hungary see each other as key allies in their battles with EU institutions.

France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted her congratulations on Sunday night, saying the "reversal of values and mass immigration promoted by the EU has been rejected once again".

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders was also quick to welcome the "excellent result".

"These elections have proved that migration is indeed a winning card for Orban's Fidesz. In the current Hungarian context, migration prevails against all other issues, from corruption to healthcare," analyst Andras Biro-Nagy from the Policy Solutions think-tank told AFP.

In terms of what a third Fidesz term may hold, Biro-Nagy said, "we should take seriously what Orban promised to his opponents [in a speech] on 15 March".

In that speech, Orban had said he would take unspecified "moral, political and legal" measures against his opponents after the vote, prompting fears of a crackdown on opposition.

Supermajority?

Fidesz may even be on track to win its coveted two-thirds "supermajority" in parliament which would grant it wide powers to press ahead with controversial measures and change the constitution.

Some of the previous measures passed using this mechanism include those that have put Orban on a collision course with Brussels.

They include what critics call the erosion of media and judicial independence, as well as its crackdown on civil society organisations linked to liberal US billionaire George Soros.

Orban accuses Soros and the organisations he funds of promoting mass Muslim and African immigration into Europe in order to undermine its Christian identity.

The last few weeks of the campaign were marked by allegations of money laundering and corruption levelled at Orban's inner circle, often published in media owned by oligarch Lajos Simicska, an erstwhile Orban ally who fell out with him after Fidesz's 2014 election victory.

The opposition's campaign had focused on corruption and deteriorating public services, as well as the government's failure to stem a high level of emigration which has seen the country's population fall under the symbolic 10 million mark.

Definitive results will not be issued for several days, after ballots sent by expatriate Hungarians and ethnic Hungarians in neighbouring countries are counted.

With almost 98 per cent of votes counted, Viktor Orban's Fidesz party has won 48.81 per cent of the vote

Hungary's firebrand nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed a "historic victory" Sunday as his right-wing party took a thumping lead in the country's key parliamentary election. With almost 98 per cent of votes counted, Orban's Fidesz party has won 48.81 per cent of the vote, the National Election Office (NVI) said, surpassing even the expectations of many within Fidesz. The score represents an improvement on four years ago and puts the 54-year-old premier on track for a third consecutive term in office -- and more possible clashes with Brussels. Voter turnout had reached 69.26 per cent, up more than seven points on elections in 2014, the NVI said, with several polling stations forced to open late to accommodate the increase. Addressing flag-waving supporters in Budapest late on Sunday, Orban said the result gave Hungarians "the opportunity to defend themselves and to defend Hungary". The crowd cheered as a giant TV screen showed electoral maps of the country almost completely covered in Fidesz's orange colour. No opposition here At end of his speech, Orban led the crowd in singing a song from the country's 1848 revolution, "Long Live Hungarian Freedom". One supporter, 53-year-old Eva Halasz, said: "Viktor is the only leader for Hungary, this proves he has the nation behind him, there is no-one in this country like him, there is no opposition here." Before the vote, it had been thought that a surge in voter turnout would favour the opposition Jobbik, a far-right party that has been moving towards the centre, and the centre-left Socialists. However, with nearly all votes counted, results show Jobbik trailing far behind with 19.67 percent, the Socialists on 12.42 percent and the environmentalist LMP party on 6.97 percent. Jobbik's leader Gabor Vona resigned on Sunday night, as he had promised to do if Jobbik didn't win, and railed against the "lies" and "constant attacks" his party had had to face in the campaign. It became clear on Sunday night Vona will struggle to win the seat he contested in his hometown of Gyoengyoes. Mass immigration rejected Orban will likely seize on the results as vindication of his clashes with EU institutions over his hardline anti-immigration policies and rejection of the EU's refugee resettlement programme, as well as his moves to clamp down on civil society groups. An Orban victory will also provide a fillip for other nationalist politicians and those on the far-right around Europe who look to him as an inspiration. In his speech Orban himself thanked Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's governing PiS party, for his support. Poland and Hungary see each other as key allies in their battles with EU institutions. France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted her congratulations on Sunday night, saying the "reversal of values and mass immigration promoted by the EU has been rejected once again". Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders was also quick to welcome the "excellent result". "These elections have proved that migration is indeed a winning card for Orban's Fidesz. In the current Hungarian context, migration prevails against all other issues, from corruption to healthcare," analyst Andras Biro-Nagy from the Policy Solutions think-tank told AFP. In terms of what a third Fidesz term may hold, Biro-Nagy said, "we should take seriously what Orban promised to his opponents [in a speech] on 15 March". In that speech, Orban had said he would take unspecified "moral, political and legal" measures against his opponents after the vote, prompting fears of a crackdown on opposition. Supermajority? Fidesz may even be on track to win its coveted two-thirds "supermajority" in parliament which would grant it wide powers to press ahead with controversial measures and change the constitution. Some of the previous measures passed using this mechanism include those that have put Orban on a collision course with Brussels. They include what critics call the erosion of media and judicial independence, as well as its crackdown on civil society organisations linked to liberal US billionaire George Soros. Orban accuses Soros and the organisations he funds of promoting mass Muslim and African immigration into Europe in order to undermine its Christian identity. The last few weeks of the campaign were marked by allegations of money laundering and corruption levelled at Orban's inner circle, often published in media owned by oligarch Lajos Simicska, an erstwhile Orban ally who fell out with him after Fidesz's 2014 election victory. The opposition's campaign had focused on corruption and deteriorating public services, as well as the government's failure to stem a high level of emigration which has seen the country's population fall under the symbolic 10 million mark. Definitive results will not be issued for several days, after ballots sent by expatriate Hungarians and ethnic Hungarians in neighbouring countries are counted.

Hungary's PM Viktor Orban claims victory as his party takes sweeping poll lead