On April 3, Hungary’s anti-liberal, ultranationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, won a fourth term. While the West remains fixated on the war next door in Ukraine, the threat of Hungary’s continued march away from liberal democracy is coming from inside the Western house. It remains an embarrassment for a bloc that touts itself as a model for human rights and the rule of law to have a member that respects neither.
Orban remains popular at home, but his election was not exactly free and fair. In classic authoritarian fashion, Orban has used his years in power and control over levers of the state to stack the cards dramatically in his favor. Public media is dominated by state-funded party propaganda, and private media is largely controlled by Orban’s allies. Opposition parties are prohibited from advertising on television, while the ruling party receives ample airtime through “public service” announcements.
Orban’s government reworked election law to boost his chances too, including severe gerrymandering and adjusting the formula for handing out seats in Parliament, allowing his Fidesz party to secure a supermajority twice before despite earning fewer than half the votes. The system he has designed entrenches minority rule with near total power.
