Hungary Orb

As voters head to polls, Washington support and alleged interference from Moscow raise questions about influenceThe official announcement that JD Vance was to visit, days before Hungarians cast their ballots in a hotly contested election, was greeted by Budapest with no less than four exclamation marks and three emojis.“!!Official!!” Viktor Orbán’s political director, Balázs Orbán, wrote on social media as he confirmed the news. The White House said Vance, along with his wife Usha, will land in Hungary on Tuesday, in what is widely seen as an attempt to bolster Orbán as he trails in the polls. Continue reading...

France’s Marine Le Pen and the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders among speakers praising prime minister at Budapest eventMarine Le Pen has called Viktor Orbán “an exceptional leader” and Geert Wilders hailed “a lion on a continent led by sheep” as Europe’s far-right figureheads rallied round Hungary’s prime minister before an election that polls suggest he may lose.“Hungary has become a symbol in Europe of a proud and sovereign people’s resistance against oppression,” Le Pen, the parliamentary leader of France’s National Rally (RN), told a gathering of EU-sceptical leaders in Budapest on Monday. Continue reading...

Hungarian PM, who is facing an upcoming election, appears in no mood to compromise as EU leaders meet in Brussels this morningThe new Dutch prime minister, Rob Jetten, is making his European Council debut this morning.Asked about Viktor Orbán’s position, Jetten insisted that “it is obvious that Ukraine needs out full support to win this war against the Russian aggression,” as he stressed the EU loan “is crucial to make sure Ukraine can prepare for the next winter.” Continue reading...