Hungarian voters head to polls in pivotal parliamentary election

Hungarians voted on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could end Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s 16-year leadership. The incumbent Fidesz party, led by 62-year-old Orban, faces a significant challenge from the centre-right Tisza party, headed by Peter Magyar. Recent opinion polls indicated that the Tisza party led Fidesz by 7-9 percentage points, with voter support for Tisza estimated at 38-41%. By 13:00 GMT, voter turnout reached 66%, showing a notable increase compared to the 52.75% turnout recorded at the same time during the 2022 election. The election for the 199-seat parliament is being closely monitored by international observers due to the potential implications for EU-Russia relations and the potential unblocking of a 90-billion-euro EU loan for Ukraine. Orban framed the vote as a choice between war and peace, while opposition leader Magyar urged voters to be vigilant against potential election fraud. If successful, the Tisza party may secure a majority sufficient to amend the Hungarian constitution. The outcome is expected to impact Western right-wing political dynamics and Hungary's alignment within the European Union.