Hungary: Orban challenger makes final push ahead of Sunday's EU vote [View all]

[RandySF]

BUDAPEST, June 8 (Reuters) - Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar called on Saturday on tens of thousands of supporters to back his party at Sunday's European Parliament election, in which Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces one of the toughest challenges of his 14-year rule.

In power since 2010, the veteran nationalist has grappled with multiple crises over the past months as a sex abuse scandal brought down two of his key allies, just as Hungary was emerging from the worst inflationary surge in the European Union.

Rising expenditure and a weak recovery have also prevented Orban from unleashing the kind of lavish outlays that helped him coast to his fourth successive victory at a 2022 parliamentary election, while presenting Magyar with a rare opportunity.

The latest surveys put support for Orban's right-wing Fidesz at 44% to 48%, with Magyar's right-of-centre Tisza polling in a 23% to 29% range, an unprecedented surge for the newcomer, who burst onto Hungary's political scene just four months ago.




https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/orban-challenger-makes-final-push-ahead-sundays-eu-vote-2024-06-08/