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Opposition mayor Karácsony calls for election rerun
Budapest opposition Mayor Gergely Karácsony, called for a repeat of the recent mayoral election, 444 reports. In a press conference held on Thursday afternoon, Karácsony also announced plans for a public demonstration on Friday evening.
Karácsony secured re-election on Sunday, beating his main rival Dávid Vitézy by 324 votes. Vitézy was previously a state secretary for transport in the Orbán government, was nominated by LMP. The final tally showed Karácsony with 47.53% (371,466 votes) against Vitézy's 47.49% (371,142 votes). However, Vitézy has questioned the validity of some votes and called for a recount, which the National Election Commission approved on June 12. The recount is set on June 14.
Karácsony listed several reasons why a simple recount would not address the election's uncertainties. He referred to findings from the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, which highlighted irregularities. He also criticized the move by Fidesz’s candidate, Alexandra Szentkirályi, to withdraw 48 hours before the election and endorse Vitézy, describing it as a strategy aimed at misleading voters.
Karácsony also accused the National Election Commission, dominated by Fidesz, of failing to provide the opposition adequate time to scrutinize the evidence presented by Vitézy. He further alleged that the commission directed local election offices to handle invalid votes in a manner that compromised ballot security, as the boxes were opened and transported without opposition oversight.
Donald Trump Jr visits Orbán
Hungary's far right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hosted Donald Trump Jr., the son of former US President Donald Trump, at the Carmelite Monastery on Thursday, Bertalan Havasi, Orban's press chief, told MTI.
Orbán discussed the future of Hungarian-American relations, illegal migration and "peace-building options" to end the Russian-Ukrainian war with his guest, he added.
Donald Trump Jr. came to Hungary at the invitation of the President of the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BKIK). In the framework of the cooperation between the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) where he spoke in front of a closed auidence.
Orban's EU ambitions dashed as his party achieves worst-ever result in EP elections
Orbán’s right wing Fidesz party achieved its worst-ever result in a European Parliament election. Fidesz-KDNP coalition is expected to secure 11 out of Hungary’s 21 European Parliament seats, garnering 44.6%, Politico reports.
The victor in this election is the Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider. With 99% of ballots counted, Tisza is set to win seven mandates, capturing 29.7% of the vote. Meanwhile, a left-wing coalition spearheaded by the Democratic Coalition managed to secure only two seats, and th far-right Mi Hazánk party will send one MEP to Brussels. Historically, Fidesz has only dipped below the 50% mark once since Hungary joined the EU, achieving 47.4% in 2004.
Péter Magyar described the results as a “political landslide” and “the Waterloo of the Orbán power factory,” signaling what he believes to be the start of the end for Orbán’s dominance. In contrast, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán remained defiant, proclaiming at a post-election rally: “Two elections were held today, and we won both,” alluding to concurrent European and local elections in Hungary.
Most Hungarians don't consider Russia to be a country that shares their national interests, research finds
A recent survey by Závecz Research, commissioned by 24.hu, has revealed that a mere 2% of Hungarians consider Russia to be a country that shares their national interests. By contrast, Slovakia was identified as the nation most closely aligned with Hungary in terms of opinions, positions, and interests.
The survey highlighted a stark contrast in perceptions of various countries. France and Germany were viewed as the most distant from Hungary regarding shared interests, followed by Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Among Fidesz supporters, Germany was seen as Hungary's closest collaborator, with Russia in second place. Supporters of other political parties placed Russia at the top.
When asked about preferred partners for closer allyship, 59% of respondents named Germany, 17% chose the United States, and only 10% selected Russia. The survey also noted a significant shift in attitudes towards Russia over recent years. Between 2019 and 2024, the proportion of Hungarians who view Russia's influence as negative surged from 36% to 62%.