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After a tense campaign dominated by Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, Hungarians will vote in a general election on Sunday with polls giving the edge to incumbent nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
But for the first time in its 12 years in office Orban’s Fidesz party will face a united opposition coalition.
Fidesz’s poll lead is narrow and “all options are on the table”, Bulcsu Hunyadi, analyst with the independent Political Capital institute, told AFP.
Hunyadi says the “mobilisation in the last few days” will be key in turning out the estimated half a million undecided voters in the country of 9.7 million.
On Friday Orban, 58, will hold a final rally in the town of Szekesfehervar, less than a hour from the capital Budapest, while his rival from the opposition coalition Peter Marki-Zay will hold his last event in the capital on Saturday, just a few hours before polls open the next morning.
Orban will doubtless use the opportunity to drive home his message that he represents “peace and security”, in contrast to the “dangerous” opposition — slogans which chime with Fidesz’s huge election posters.
Propaganda machinery
While going along with support for Kiev at an EU level, Orban’s government has refused to let weapons for Ukraine cross its territory and, says Hunyadi, has managed to boil the war down “to one very basic question: whether Hungary should be involved or remain out”.
“This message has been much more effective than the opposition’s criticism of the government” for its closeness to Russia.
Added to this is the fact that “Fidesz’s propaganda machinery is far more effective than the opposition’s capability to reach voters”.
Other critics point out that reforms to the electoral system over Fidesz’s time in office have also benefited the party.
The government dismisses such worries.
“It is an absolutely…
Source : france24
