EuroQuestions | Hungarian Elections : Are We Heading Toward the End of Orbán’s Rule? with Lukáš Macek

EuroQuestions: Season 2026, Episode 6

*This event will be held in French

Date/Location:
Online, registration required
April 1, 2026

Title:

Elections in Hungary: Are We Heading Toward the End of Orbán’s Rule?

Context:
In 2022, we hosted an EuroQuestions session on Hungary’s legislative elections, highlighting a more open contest than before between Viktor Orbán and his challenger Péter Márki-Zay, set against a backdrop of restrictions on individual freedoms and corruption scandals.

Since then, restrictions on freedoms have intensified, affecting minorities—particularly LGBTQ+ people—as well as the press and independent institutions. Corruption scandals continue to punctuate Hungarian political life. Perhaps the most notable difference this time lies in Hungary’s economic situation, which has been hit hard by record inflation and a sharp slowdown in domestic consumption.

Another development: the opposition has coalesced around a new figure, Péter Magyar. A former Fidesz member, his party Tisza claims a national-conservative legacy and is now leading in several polls. In short, he could represent a credible alternative to Orbán, although the details of the policies he would implement in Hungary remain unclear.

For the European Union, Orbán’s departure would be a relief and could facilitate progress on certain dossiers, notably regarding Ukraine. Yet the election promises to be complex. With the ongoing war in Ukraine, persistent instability in the Middle East, and a new U.S. president likely to support nationalist-populist movements in Europe, Viktor Orbán positions himself as the candidate of peace against what he describes as the European “war-hungry” elites. In power since 2010, Orbán has also significantly weakened Hungarian institutions and consolidated his grip, making any change of power difficult in the event of an electoral defeat.

The outcome of this election is far from known.

Questions to Explore:

• How is the election campaign unfolding in Hungary, and around which key issues has it crystallized?
• Are we really facing as open a contest as is often suggested?
• What would a potential departure of Viktor Orbán mean for European Union policy, particularly regarding Ukraine, enlargement, and, more broadly, EU foreign policy?
• What role could external influences play in this election? This includes obvious Russian interference, but also more direct support from figures such as Donald Trump.

Speaker Introduction: 
Lukáš Macek is a political scientist and Head of the Centre for Greater Europe at the Jacques Delors Institute since 2022. He is a specialist in Central and Eastern Europe and has also been director of the Sciences Po Dijon campus since 2004. Lukas participated in work on the Convention on the Future of Europe and began his career in Czech politics (political campaigns related to the Czech Republic’s EU accession and the 2004 and 2009 European elections). He is the author of numerous works on European issues, including Does Enlargement Jeopardize the European Project? (2011).

What are EuroQuestions?
EuroQuestions are sessions held twice a month in the form of 30-minute online exchanges, bringing together a moderator (Ms. Christine Verger or Mr. William Malaterre) and a guest speaker to discuss European issues. These sessions take place on Wednesdays, from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM. The speaker is generally given a presentation time of approximately 15/20 minutes, followed by a 10/15-minute exchange with the moderator.