Elections in Hungary.

April 12 is a day eagerly awaited not only by Hungary but also by its neighboring countries, namely the nations of the former socialist bloc. The election results will also be significant for the entire European Union. For the past sixteen years, the leading force in our southeastern neighbor has been the Fidesz party, the Hungarian Civic Alliance (Magyar Polgári Szövetség). Viktor Orbán has been at its helm since 2003. In recent years, this man has led his party to four consecutive election victories (2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022), each time securing a majority of the seats. Now, just a few days before the election, however, he faces his greatest challenge yet. This challenge comes from Tisza, Respect and Freedom (Tisztelet és Szabadság Párt), an extra-parliamentary party led by lawyer Péter Magyar. This group was founded as recently as 2020 and, after a series of twists and turns in its search for a more solid and clear-cut position within the Hungarian political landscape, achieved success in the European Parliament elections, where it won seven seats. However, Magyar’s name is absent from the list of MEPs, primarily due to the leader’s personal decision to focus on domestic politics. This Sunday, Hungarians will choose among six registered parties that managed to submit their national candidate lists by the deadline. But the main battle will be between Fidesz and Tisza. Above-average voter turnout is expected, and the result is also expected to be relatively close, although polls to date have favored the Tisza party, often by more than ten percentage points. The stakes are high. Hungary’s orientation toward the East, assuming Orbán wins. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly demonstrated himself to be a tactician who does not shy away from ignoring the shared moral values and pragmatic goals of the European community, which overwhelmingly supports Ukraine’s fight against the Russian aggressor. Or, after years, perhaps an attempt to return to the position of a trustworthy and reliable European partner, if Tisza wins. Yet we know from our own experience that pre-election promises are one thing, and the reality of everyday life turns those promises into empty platitudes. Moreover, there are still a few days left until the election. Let us hope that on Monday, April 13, the Hungarians will be happy.