JD Vance due in Hungary to back Orban’s re-election bid

JD Vance Due in Hungary to Back Orban’s Re-election Bid

JD Vance, the U.S. vice president, will visit Hungary to endorse Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a longstanding ally of the Trump administration, during a pivotal parliamentary race. His appearance at a rally in Budapest is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, set to take place in a football stadium. This event marks a critical moment for Orban, whose political career spans nearly four decades, as he faces his most formidable challenge yet.

The 12 April election is seen as a major test for Orban. On Sunday, he will confront Peter Magyar, a former member of his ruling party Fidesz who left to form the centre-right Tisza party in 2022. Magyar’s party currently leads Fidesz by 10% to 20% in most polls, though the pro-government Nezopont agency suggests Fidesz holds a slight edge.

“Orban has my complete and total support,” said Donald Trump in a video message to the Hungarian Conservative Political Action Conference last month. This endorsement underscores the deepening alliance between the U.S. and Hungary under Orban’s leadership.

Orban’s relationship with Trump dates back to 2016, when he was the first EU leader to back Trump’s presidential campaign. Their partnership has since strengthened, with Orban actively supporting Trump’s re-election bid in 2024. In October 2023, Orban traveled to Washington to secure an exemption from U.S. sanctions targeting Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil.

Trump’s backing of this exemption is viewed as a personal arrangement, with implications that if Orban loses the election, his successor would need to renegotiate the terms. Hungary, which has resisted EU calls to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels, continues to depend heavily on oil transported via the Druzhba pipeline from Ukraine and gas delivered through the TurkStream pipeline from Serbia.

Since early January, the Druzhba pipeline has been unable to supply oil to Hungary following a Russian attack on Ukrainian infrastructure. Orban has attributed the disruption to Ukraine’s failure to repair the line. Meanwhile, Serbia recently reported finding explosives near the TurkStream pipeline, close to the Hungarian border. Orban and his supporters branded the incident as a terror attack on the country’s energy supply.

However, some critics argue the event was orchestrated. Former intelligence figures and opposition leader Peter Magyar suspect Orban, with Serbian President Alexander Vucic’s help, staged the incident to bolster his re-election prospects. This narrative aligns with Orban’s broader strategy to frame Ukraine as a key adversary in his campaign.

Recent controversies have further tested Orban’s popularity. Leaked private calls between Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Russian officials reveal his close communication with Moscow. The transcripts suggest Szijjarto shared confidential EU discussions with Russia and worked to keep Russian officials off the sanctions list. Szijjarto has described these exchanges as “normal diplomacy,” defending their role in maintaining bilateral ties.

With these challenges, Orban is relying on Vance’s visit to reinvigorate his image as a stable, internationally respected leader. The U.S. vice president’s presence is intended to sway undecided voters in a period marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.