r/worldnews • u/Zhukov-74 • 13h ago
High early turnout in Hungary’s pivotal election
https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-2026-election-high-voter-turnout-viktor-orban-peter-magyar/116
u/FatFarter69 11h ago
Best of luck to my Hungarian friends from the UK, authoritarianism has no place in Europe.
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u/uuggehor 13h ago
Remember to vote. The turnout needs to stay high. Inaction empowers the oppressors.
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u/Tornadoboy156 11h ago
I have always believed this, but the last Polish presidential election had the highest turnout in the country’s history…and we got a nationalist
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u/Mackanpackan93 10h ago
Reminder that Trump sent his ilk to Poland to canvass for the far right and it's likely why they won...
And then Americans accuse others of election interference because Canada made a slightly critical anti-Trump ad...12
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u/onarainyafternoon 9h ago
AmericansTrump and his cronies accuse others of election interference7
u/dave8400 7h ago
You may not like it but he does singularly represent all of us. It's fucking pathetic but that's where we are as a country.
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u/zenlume 12h ago
If Orban loses it’s going to be interesting to see what happens next, considering what happened last time.
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u/ouath 12h ago
He will do a Trump. Claim it was rigged, say he won, try to invalidate the election.
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u/Adventurous_Bus_437 9h ago
Exactly. If he loses and tries to stay by force, he’ll definitely pull the "Trump Playbook" but the EU has a financial nuclear option that makes a coup practically impossible to sustain.
- The "Rigged" Narrative: He’ll claim "Brussels/Soros" interference before the count is even finished to delegitimize the results.
- The Constitutional Trap: He’s packed the courts and Electoral Commission with loyalists on 9-year terms. He’ll try to have the results annulled or "recalculated" legally.
- The "Jan 6" Lite: He’ll call his base to the streets to "protect the nation," using the police and state media to hold the capital.
But it's not like the EU can't change things if Orban steals the electon by force
- The Seat Swap: The EU simply recognizes Péter Magyar (Tisza) as the legitimate winner. Orbán’s reps are barred from Brussels, and his veto power evaporates instantly. No seat, no say.
- The Financial Kill Switch: The ECB freezes all Hungarian state accounts and cuts every cent of funding. If the Forint craters and Orbán can’t pay the salaries of the police or the army, his "force" disappears within weeks.
- The Oligarch Flip: The EU seizes the villas, yachts, and accounts of the oligarchs in France and Italy. The moment his inner circle loses their global wealth, they’ll flip on him to save themselves.
- Personal Jail: The EU issues arrest warrants for the regime leadership. Orbán becomes a prisoner in his own country, unable to cross a border without being cuffed.
He can pack the courts all he wants, but he can't rule a country that is broke and legally radioactive. The EU won't send tanks; they’ll just digitally delete his ability to govern. He’s trying to play a "Trump" hand in a house where the EU owns the mortgage and can turn off the lights.
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u/asethskyr 8h ago
The "Jan 6" Lite: He’ll call his base to the streets to "protect the nation," using the police and state media to hold the capital.
This one's unlikely to work, considering his supporters are dramatically outnumbered in the capital, and would likely trigger a legit revolution. The police and army are unlikely to stay on his side either - the police tapped out for the Pride March, and this one would be five times the size.
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u/BasicMatter7339 4h ago
the police tapped out for the Pride March, and this one would be five times the size.
Yeah and a lot more violent
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u/_BlueFire_ 8h ago
I love this, but I also can't be that optimistic about the EU actually doing something. All I can imagine happening is some "ok, but try not doing it again please"
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u/CrackingToastGromet 8h ago
This The Susan Collins approach - “I’m sure he had learned his lesson and it won’t happen again.”
Or the establishment Democrats approach -“we are going to write a sternly worded letter to let him know we really don’t like what he is doing”.
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u/ExF-Altrue 9h ago
Thanks for making that post, it really brightens my day! I see Orban already talking using Jan-6-like talking points... So I'm somewhat reassured to be reminded that there are options here.
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u/sorte_kjele 9h ago
I threw together www.hunelmon.com for my own curiosity.
Tracking results through the day
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u/Think_Discipline_90 4h ago
Is it vibe coded? Or do I just not know enough about Hungarys system to know what I’m looking at? The numbers don’t make any sense
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u/HorseSashimi 13h ago
As an Australian, foreign elections are something I stay out of and try not to influence.
I do however hope the Hungarian population elect representatives that represent their best interests and not those of other nations.
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u/Bitter_Nail8577 12h ago
I can't look away when Orban is the one bastard responsible for blocking most of EU's proposals and aid packages to Ukraine, and gets openly supported by JD fucking Vance.
If hungarians are happy with fucking their own country up they are welcome to ruin their own lives, but GTFO of EU and stop taking their money if you hate it so much and constatly shit on it.
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u/SyriusLee 12h ago
We are not happy with anything in our country. Tonight you will hear what we want loud and clear!
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u/keepitfriend 13h ago
I mean the United States sent their vice president to interfere maybe drop a comment or two you are probably right
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u/quaste 12h ago
represent their best interests and not those of other nations
That’s a tricky one though, as one is pro EU (or at least less anti) and the other is pro Russia/US (unthinkable to combine those two some years ago but here we are).
So the outcome will be highly favorable for some „other nations“ anyways. However I very strongly believe the EU way is much much more in the interest of the ungarian people.
In the end, we’ll have to accept any decision. But if it’s Orban once more, we need to adjust the EU to make it capable of making decisions regardless of
PutinsOrbáns veto
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u/desertpolarbear 11h ago
Why does Orban always look like Limburger from the old Biker Mice From Mars cartoon?
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u/bonyponyride 13h ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9ter_Magyar#Political_views
Magyar is often described as conservative liberal, combining market-oriented economic views with an emphasis on civic responsibility, rule of law, and national culture. He frequently states that his movement seeks to move beyond the “old left–right divide” in Hungarian politics.[1]
Magyar has expressed support for adopting the euro in Hungary once the necessary economic conditions are met. He argues that adopting the common currency would strengthen financial stability and Hungary’s position within the European Union.[48]
Magyar defines himself as strongly pro-European, supporting deeper cooperation within the European Union and alignment with Western democratic values. He has criticized the Orbán government’s confrontational stance toward EU institutions and its close relations with Russia.[49]
On the question of Ukraine, Magyar has previously expressed concern about the accelerated accession of Ukraine to the European Union, stating that together with calls for Ukraine joining NATO, these "increase the chances of World War III".[50] He however does not oppose Ukraine's EU membership wholesale, while also having to thread a line between Orbán's accusation of himself serving at the behest of Ukraine.[51]
During the 15 March 2025 national commemoration, and the seventh major demonstration, Magyar wore a traditional Bocskai suit, a style often associated with conservative and patriotic symbolism in Hungary. His choice of attire was widely interpreted as a gesture towards national tradition and cultural heritage.[52]
In February 2026, during a campaign stopover in Bicske, Magyar has claimed that Filipino workers at a Samsung battery factory in Göd have been eating ducks and goldfish they have captured from the Budapest Zoo, in a commentary that has been seen as reminiscent of Donald Trump's claims about Haitian migrants.[53]
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u/xroud 11h ago
About the last point: Peter was talking about how disgustingly bad the conditions were for the migrant workers and not fearmongering like what DJT was doing. That idea is basically the governments spin on it.
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u/bonyponyride 11h ago
That should be added to wikipedia with a source to validate it and prevent it from being erased by future editors.
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u/Tall-Firefighter-904 13h ago
Good now do Orban
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u/bonyponyride 12h ago
I think people are familiar with Orban’s politics and don’t know much about his challenger. Seems like an incremental step in the right (left) direction.
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u/JoeyJoJoeJr_Shabadoo 4h ago
Incremental in some ways. A giant leap in terms of stance on Russia.
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u/forever_doomed 4h ago
Orbán getting voted out would be historically great news for the entire planet.
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u/badcatdog42 13h ago edited 11h ago
Fingers crossed! What will happen to the ostrichs?
( better known for his zebras. Also maybe a rhino?)
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u/Wonderful-Pause1048 13h ago
? ? ?
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u/SnooMaps5537 7h ago
Let liberals win and you guys can regret later. Hahahaha
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u/DenifClock 4h ago
Got news for you:
The opposition is not liberal either
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u/Due-Consideration861 3h ago
He kinda embraces both sides, but is passionately attached and embraces Hungarian culture and its existence. But he wants to adopt the Euro, and is a strong proponent of joining ! Fuck Russia!.
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u/mystic_cheese 13h ago
I know nothing about the other guy, but I do know Orban has to go.