Podcast: Everything you need to know about the Hungarian elections

Published on 03/04/2026 - 9:24 GMT+2

Sunday, 12 April 2026 volition beryllium a important time for the European Union arsenic Hungarians caput to the polls for parliamentary elections.

Hungary’s existent premier minister, Viktor Orbán, person of the eurosceptic Fidesz party, volition beryllium challenged by Péter Magyar, person of the Tisza enactment and a erstwhile subordinate of Orbán’s ain party.

To amended recognize what’s astatine involvement for Budapest and Brussels, Brussels, My Love? sits down with Sandor Zsiros, Euronews’ EU analogous who hails from Hungary.

Orbán vs Magyar

With 16 years successful power, Orbán is Hungary’s astir seasoned person successful caller history.

According to Zsiros, his popularity is mostly owed to his governmental identity. “Orbán is simply a populist successful a mode that helium ever considers what radical want,” Zsiros explained. “And, he’s a existent powerfulness person who is consenting to combat his enemies successful an highly brutal way,” helium continued.

Zsiros described however toxic the governmental campaigning starring up to the predetermination has been. “This is not a existent accepted governmental campaign; it’s a war, they privation to destruct each other,” helium explained.

Orbán’s main rival successful the predetermination is Peter Magyar, person of the progressively fashionable Tisza party.

Defining the ideological enactment of Tisza is not easy: “There are a batch of wide people, a batch of conservatives, besides a spot of leftists, but mostly the enactment predisposition and the property of Péter Magyar are precise overmuch right-wing blimpish traditionalist,” Zsiros said.

In the European Parliament, Magyar's enactment sits with the European People's Party, the confederation of Europe's centre-right parties portion Fidesz is portion of the far-right radical Patriots for Europe.

One of the main differences betwixt Orbán and Magyar lies successful their attack to the EU.

Magyar’s enactment is pro-European and seeks to reconstruct Hungary’s entree to EU funds frozen implicit rule-of-law concerns. It besides pledges to trim ties betwixt Budapest and Russia. By contrast, Orbán’s enactment has taken a much eurosceptic stance and maintains comparatively adjacent relations with Russia.

The result of this predetermination volition beryllium important arsenic it volition interaction the equilibrium of powerfulness successful the EU and power galore decisions, including the EU’s stance connected Ukraine.

To find retired much astir these important elections, perceive to this occurrence of Brussels, My Love? and travel our unrecorded blog connected Sunday, 12 April.

Additional sources • David Brodheim, dependable exertion and mixer