United States Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Budapest for a two-day visit aimed at bolstering support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz Party ahead of the April 12 parliamentary elections. This trip follows US President Donald Trump's alleged endorsement of the right-wing leader in February, as well as a visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the country that same month, highlighting the close alignment between the Trump administration and Orban's government.
Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor of sociology at Princeton University, stated that Vance's visit is meant to underscore the tight relationship between Trump and his Hungarian counterpart. She said, "Orban will make a big deal out of the fact that he’s got Trump’s support. And that’s why Vance is coming." However, she expressed skepticism that the trip would significantly impact the election outcome, noting that polls show the opposition leading by 8-12%, with some recent surveys indicating up to a 20% advantage.
Orban's 16-year tenure has been marked by the erosion of institutional independence, including the judiciary and media, alongside reforms that critics claim have skewed the electoral system in favor of Orban and Fidesz. Despite what the opposition describes as a deeply imbalanced electoral environment, most polls indicate that the 62-year-old Orban is trailing the 45-year-old opposition leader, Peter Magyar, and his Tisza Party, who have gained traction by focusing on corruption, deteriorating social services, and economic conditions.
Magyar's campaign emphasizes restoring a more cordial relationship with the European Union, which suspended billions of euros in funding for Hungary in 2022 over purported democratic backsliding and declining judicial independence. He has pledged reforms that could lead to the restoration of these suspended funds, positioning himself as a moderate alternative to Orban's combative stance on issues like immigration and support for Ukraine.
Orban's approach to consolidating power and his embrace of far-right politics have strained his relationships within Europe but made him an inspiration for the US far right and prominent figures in the Trump administration, such as JD Vance. Hungary has previously hosted the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where Trump sent a video praising Orban for "proudly fighting on the front lines of the battle to rescue Western civilization," cementing their shared ideological bonds.
Scheppele noted that Orban's relationship with the Trump administration and his status as a global far-right icon may have limited utility in an election focused primarily on domestic issues. However, she pointed out that more tangible measures, such as a pledge of US financial support from the Trump administration if Orban wins, could buoy his chances in the race's final days. She added, "If Vance makes that kind of announcement, it could be a real game-changer," referencing similar actions taken by the US regime in Argentina to bolster right-wing ally Javier Milei.
Source: www.aljazeera.com