Hungary’s nationalist prime minister and the man aiming to unseat him on Friday accused each other of trying to subvert a key weekend election that could see the ruling party lose power after 16 years.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces an unprecedented challenge in Sunday’s vote, with opinion polls putting pro-European Peter Magyar’s conservative party, Tisza, well ahead.
“Our opponents will stop at nothing to seize power,” Orban said in a video posted on social media, accusing the opposition of “colluding” with foreign intelligence and threatening his supporters with violence.
“This is an organised attempt to use chaos, pressure, and international vilification to call into question the decision of the Hungarian people,” he said.
Magyar fired back with accusations of his own.
“The series of ongoing election fraud carried out for months by the ruling party, Fidesz, along with criminal acts, intelligence operations, disinformation and fake news cannot change the fact that Tisza is going to win this election,” he said in a Facebook post.
“Viktor Orban will be removed by the very same people… he has abandoned and betrayed: millions of Hungarian citizens.”
He urged Hungarians “not to fall for any kind of provocation” and called on “the departing prime minister to accept the judgment of the Hungarian people with due calm and dignity”.
Orban’s government has repeatedly made accusations of foreign interference.
Magyar has in turn alleged the same, as US Vice President JD Vance visited the country this week to underline Washington’s support of Orban.
US President Donald Trump in a fresh message endorsing Orban hailed the Hungarian as a “truly strong and powerful leader”.
“Hungary: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR VIKTOR ORBAN… I AM WITH HIM ALL THE WAY!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Orban, the closest ally to both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the European Union, has led the nation of 9.5 million people since 2010.
During his tenure, his ruling coalition has used its two-thirds majority in parliament to overhaul the central European country’s electoral system and leverage state resources to campaign, while his business allies radically changed the media environment.
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