Flushing Viktor, ©2026 William L. Brown
We may soon have one less cartoon-villain world leader. Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Prime Minister, may be voted out of office this weekend.
Viktor got into that office as the Fidesz party candidate in 2010. He’d served previously as prime minister 1998 - 2002.
The Fidesz party, which he assumed leadership of in 2003, is a Christian-nationalist group. Over his past five terms Orbán embraced hard-right ideology, and dog-whistles such as “replacement theory” and advocacy of “illiberal democracy.” In 2015, stirring hatred and fear, he was a thorn in the EU’s side as it tried to deal with a flood of Syrian refugees.
His anti-immigrant, racist, Christian-nationalist, pro-Russian policies, and his method of undermining and politicizing democratic institutions from within made him a favorite of the global hard-right. He was invited to speak at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), )and he hosted their 2023 conference in Hungary.
US President Trump and Vice President JD Vance praise Orbán, holding up his far-right, anti-immigrant, racial-purity programs as an example for the rest of Europe to follow. The biggest threat to Europe, they said, were liberal leaders who oppose the suprematist-right.
Not Russia. They didn’t mention Russia as a threat.
Orban, ©2023 William L. Brown
Orbán is a big fan of Russian President Putin. His has been the main pro-Russian, anti-Ukraine dissenter in NATO and the EU. He openly sabotaged many deals in these organizations—organizations which require consensus agreement—to support Ukraine and to sanction Russia.
Right now, he’s refusing to approve a €90 million EU loan to Ukraine. Ukraine, which needs this money desperately and celebrates Easter this Sunday, will have their own resurrection if Orbán loses the election that day.
Orbstruction, ©2026 William L. Brown.
The polls say Orbán and his Fidesz party don’t have the support to win this election.
He and his party’s slide into corruption and kleptocracy has turned voters against them.
His importance to both Trump and Putin, however, raises the possibility that there will be foul-play. Putin has expressed concern that the outcome will be affected by Western interference. Ironically, the most blatant interference comes from JD Vance, speaking in Hungary at a campaign rally April 7 where he urged Hungarians to vote for Orbán,
And we want you to make a decision about your future with no outside forces pressuring you or telling you what to do.
I’m not telling you exactly who to vote for. But what I am telling you is that the bureaucrats in Brussels — those people should not be listened to. You should listen to your hearts, listen to your souls, and listen to the sovereignty of the Hungarian people…..
Will you stand against the bureaucrats in Brussels? Will you stand for sovereignty and democracy? Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth, and for the God of our fathers? Then my friends, go to the polls this weekend, stand with Viktor Orbán, because he stands for you and he stands for all these things. God bless Hungary and God bless the United States of America.
He patched Trump into the speech, via a phone call to the American president/ Trump’s comments were broadcast to the crowd.
…I love Hungary, and I love that Viktor. I’ll tell you, he’s a fantastic man. We’ve had a tremendous relationship, and he does a job. Remember this, he didn’t allow people to storm your country and invade your country like other people have and ruin their countries, frankly. He’s kept your country good. He’s kept Hungarian people in your country, and he’s done a fantastic job.
Running Out of Flag, ©2026 William L. Brown
You can follow the result on Politico. Note their warning that the calculations are complex, and there has been recent redistricting in favor of Orbán’s party.
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