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Orban calls on conservatives to win elections on both sides of the Atlantic
Hungary's far-right prime minister Viktor Orban seized the moment to rally right-wing forces against progressive ideology in his keynote speech at CPAC Hungary, asserting that forthcoming elections in both Europe and the United States offer a pivotal opportunity for conservative resurgence. Orbán called for a united front among conservatives and described Hungary as an island of difference in the ocean of progressive liberals.
Orbán, who is on his fourth consecutive term, positioned the upcoming EU elections in June and the U.S. elections in November as a crucial moment to establish what he termed an "era of sovereignty," citing Hungary as a blueprint for this conservative vision.
In his address, Orbán emphasized the seismic shifts occurring in global politics and geopolitics, asserting the imperative for conservative values to prevail amidst this flux. "The order of the world is changing, and we must usher our cause to triumph amid these changes. Progressive liberals feel the danger. Replacing this era means replacing them.” he declared.
The Hungarian PM remarks inaugurated the third rendition of CPAC in Hungary, a conservative gathering that this year showcases several far-right figures, including American media figure, and Pizzagate pusher Jack Posobiec, Rep. Paul Gosar, and Dutch politician Geert Wilders.
Guy Verhofstadt: Hungary has become a kleptocracy under Orbán
Guy Verhofstadt has been one of the biggest critics of the Orbán government in recent years in Europe. In an exclusive interview with 444, the former Belgian PM was asked whether the influence of the Fidesz MEPs had changed since they left the EPP. He said he doesn't hear much from them because they belong to a different group now.
He said the problem with Fidesz is that it is not what it was when it was founded in the 1980s. It has gone from a liberal, democratic party to a far-right one without changing its name. "It's a bit strange that they were fighting against the Soviet Union and communism in the 80s and today they support Russia's aggression."
444 asked Verhofstadt what he thought of the EP's legal action against the European Commission for unblocking €10.2 billion in frozen EU funds for Hungary last December. Verhofstadt said he knew nothing about the lawsuit. He added the Commission should be much tougher on the issue because it is about ending corruption in Hungary and freedom of expression in Hungary. "Let's be honest, Hungary has become a kind of kleptocracy in recent years."
Fidesz support at historic low, survey reveals
Recent research conducted by the IDEA Institute reveals that while Fidesz-KDNP remains the most favored political alliance in Hungary, its support has declined to unprecedented levels, Hungarian daily Nepszava reports. The survey was conducted before Péter Magyar's electoral strategy was revealed, therefore it excludes his TISZA Party from its findings.
As of early April, a mere quarter of Hungarians expressed willingness to cast their ballots in favor of Fidesz-KDNP. Among committed voters, backing for the ruling coalition nosedived from 44% in February to a meager 38% at the onset of April, marking a notable downturn in popularity.
In a projection released by Euractiv just last week, Péter Magyar is anticipated to secure three seats in the European Parliament. Notably, these gains are projected to come at the expense of Hungarian opposition parties, rather than from Fidesz-KDNP.
The most recent Eurobarometer survey indicates enthusiasm among Hungarians for participation in the upcoming European Parliament elections, with a staggering 70% expressing their likelihood to vote. Furthermore, an impressive 77% of respondents affirmed the benefits of EU membership.