OPINIONOPINION, As pressure mounts from the EU and his domestic rivals, Hungary’s prime minister is rallying allies to paralyse European institutions.A “Trump tornado” has swept the globe, bringing with it a wave of “hope” for a return to “normalcy and peace.” So declared Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in a strikingly blunt keynote speech at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest.
Originally a platform for United States Republican Party politicians and theorists, CPAC has, in recent years, evolved into a global forum for radical right-wing forces. Its arrival in Europe was facilitated by the Foundation for Fundamental Rights – a government-organised NGO backed and funded by the Orban administration.
While Orban lavished praise on Donald Trump, this year’s CPAC had a distinctly European focus. After 15 years in power, Orban faces growing opposition at home. Public frustration over entrenched corruption, economic stagnation and increasingly hostile relations with Hungary’s allies has eroded his popularity. A newly emergent opposition movement, led by former Fidesz insider Peter Magyar, is now polling 6 – 8 percentage points ahead of Orban’s Fidesz–KDNP coalition, posing a serious challenge ahead of the 2026 general election. Advertisement
In response, the government has ramped up attacks on dissent. Fidesz recently introduced a series of sweeping legislative proposals that threaten opposition politicians, independent media, NGOs and private businesses with Russian-style crackdowns. June’s LGBTQ+ Pride march in Budapest was among the first casualties – banned on the grounds of “child protection”. Alongside these measures, the government has begun rewriting electoral laws and funnelling state resources towards potential Fidesz voters.
Alarmed by Orban’s escalating authoritarianism, 20 European Union member states this week issued a joint declaration urging him to rev …
