International press review on the Hungarian election

The 3rd of April marked the day of the parliamentary election in Hungary which brought another victory for Fidesz. The election result was a hot topic not only in the Hungarian press but all over the globe. Viktor Orbán, the re-elected Prime Minister of Hungary, was featured on the front page of CNN. It is not an overstatement to say that the whole world had their eyes on Hungary yesterday. In addition to BBC, Reuters and The Guardian, the Hungarian election was also given a prominent place in the Russian, Ukrainian, Austrian, German and even Indian press.

Hungary made it to US and UK headlines

CNN informs its readers that Fidesz won the election for the fourth time in a row. They call Orbán an authoritarian, pro-Russian leader. They add that many were expecting a tight race, however, Fidesz has managed to strengthen its position even further in the Hungarian Parliament.

In his reelection speech, Orbán called Zelenskiy his opponent,

highlights the US paper. They also mention that the controversial referendum on banning homosexuality and gender-reassignment-related materials intended for minors did not attract enough votes to be considered valid.

The Hungarian election is a hot topic in the UK as well. Sky News writes, “Orbán based his campaign on divisive social and cultural issues, but changed his message after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.”

According to the BBC, Fidesz has undermined Hungary’s democratic institutions.

They call Orbán’s triumph a nationalist victory and highlight that his relationship with the EU has further deteriorated. Reuters writes that Orbán is going to face some tough challenges, for instance, sorting out the country’s dependence on Russian energy. The Guardian focused on the deepening conflict between Zelenskiy and Orbán. While Ukrainians expect more support from their neighbouring country, Hungarians still maintain important business ties with the Russians.