At 58, the dean of the incumbent leaders of the European Union (EU) faced an unprecedented and disparate alliance of six parties, and analysts had predicted a tight battle as never before.
But according to partial results, his Fidesz party won 54.24% of the vote following counting 77% of the ballots, once morest 33.92% for the opposition, said the National Electoral Office.
The attendance was strong, approaching the records recorded in 2018.
“We have won an exceptional victory – a victory so great that you can probably see it from the moon, and in any case certainly from Brussels,” said Mr. Orban, a regular at arm wrestling, with a big smile and applause. with the EU.
His opponent Peter Marki-Zay had still not spoken at 9 p.m. GMT (11 p.m. Brussels time).
By slipping his ballot into the ballot box alongside his family, this 49-year-old conservative mayor had earlier denounced “unfair and impossible conditions” aimed at allowing his rival to “remain in power forever”.
And to quote public media at the boot of the government – itself was entitled to only five minutes of antenna on public television, in all and for all.
“The power of the pro-government press is too great, I don’t think we’re going to win,” said Flora Arpad, a 19-year-old student, who was voting for the first time.
In the opposition coalition some, like the vice-president of Jobbik, Marto Gyongyosi, denounced “irregularities”.
Accused by the European Commission of multiple attacks on the rule of law, Viktor Orban has muzzled justice and the media over 12 years, while advocating an ultra-conservative vision of society.
The ballot was held for the first time under the supervision of more than 200 international observers. Each camp also deployed thousands of volunteers.
The conflict in neighboring Ukraine has completely changed the situation.
“War broke out, and war changed everything,” Orban summed up on Friday during his only campaign rally. He posed as a “protector” of Hungary, a guarantor of peace and stability, by refusing to deliver arms to Ukraine and to vote for sanctions which would deprive the Hungarians of precious Russian oil and gas.
At the same time, on election posters and in the pro-Orban media, Peter Marki-Zay was portrayed as “dangerous”, accused of wanting to rush the country into war because of his firm support for Ukraine.
The candidate may have underlined the closeness cultivated since 2010 by the Prime Minister with the Russian president, calling him “Hungarian Putin”, his speech was obviously not enough to convince the voters.
The Hungarians were also called upon to answer four questions in connection with the recent law prohibiting to discuss with those under 18 “sex change and homosexuality”.
An “unhealthy” referendum for the NGOs which had asked voters to “invalidate” their ballots by ticking two boxes instead of one. The results are expected later in the evening.
