- Stay updated on the latest news from Hungary by signing up for the free InsightHungary newsletter
Orban tweets 'fingers crossed' for second Trump term
Former President Donald Trump spoke with Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday, just days ahead of the U.S. presidential election, despite recent criticisms from senior Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who have expressed concerns over the Hungarian leader’s authoritarian leanings.
"Just got off the phone with President @realDonaldTrump. I wished him the best of luck for next Tuesday. Only five days to go. Fingers crossed," Orbán posted on X.
The two leaders met multiple times over the past years, with Trump hosting Orbán as recently as this summer in Mar-a-Lago.
Hungarian FM summons Swedish Ambassador
The Swedish Ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry over statements made by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The Swedish Prime Minister said that "all indications are that the elections in Georgia were not properly conducted" and that the results of the vote were not reliable because of "fraud". Kristersson expressed concern that "a government under Russian influence is doing everything it can to prevent a rapprochement with Europe." On Viktor Orbán's statement that the elections were "free and democratic", he said Orbán "does not speak for European countries, nor Sweden, perhaps for Russia, but not for all of us".
"This is a statement that we must challenge as strongly as possible and reject as strongly as possible. We will not tolerate, we will not tolerate and we will not accept anyone questioning the fact that we represent our interests, the Hungarian national interest, the Hungarian position," Szijjarto said.
According to the Foreign Minister, "the people of Brussels and European liberals cannot come to terms with the fact that the Georgian people themselves decided and that they did not elect a liberal party, but a conservative, sovereign, pro-peace and pro-family political force, this time again with more than 50 percent support." Finally, the minister said that to clarify the government's position, Sweden's ambassador to Hungary had been summoned the previous afternoon and asked to refrain from making such statements in the future.
Zavecz Research: Fidesz supporters are split on EU membership, many would favor closer ties with Russia and China
The research, conducted by Zavecz Research, explored Hungarian attitudes toward the nation’s involvement in both the EU and NATO. Among Fidesz backers, only 46% said they would vote to stay in the EU if a referendum were held, while 37% would prefer to exit.
Support for NATO remained robust across all demographics. 78% of respondents favored maintaining Hungary’s NATO membership, though Fidesz-KDNP supporters showed more skepticism, with 17% inclined toward leaving the alliance.
When it came to global alliances, the EU emerged as the preferred partner for most respondents. Sixty percent favored stronger relations with the EU, while 15% leaned toward Russia and China. Fidesz supporters were notably divided here, with roughly one-third supporting closer ties with the EU, and another third backing Russia and China. Among the far-right Mi Hazánk supporters, 47% preferred the EU while 28% favored Russia and China.
Szijjarto: Von der Leyen led Europe into a lost war
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó made stark comments on the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen in his recent Facebook post.
"The President of the Commission bears clear responsibility for dragging Europe into a losing war, for diminishing the EU's relevance in the world economy and politics.
The outgoing European Commission will deliver another coup de grace to the European economy before he leaves, taking another blow to European competitiveness by imposing extra tariffs on Chinese electric car manufacturers and ignoring the views of Member States and the industry's biggest companies," Szijjarto wrote on social media.
The European Commission has recently imposed protective tariffs on Chinese car manufacturers.