Hungarians head to the polls Sunday in a parliamentary election that could end Viktor Orban's 16-year grip on power, with the opposition Tisza Party holding a clear lead in the latest polls over the longtime prime minister's Fidesz party amid widespread discontent over corruption, ties to Russia and stalled European Union funds.
The April 12 vote for the 199-seat National Assembly is being watched closely across Europe and beyond as a potential turning point for Hungary's illiberal democracy and the broader cohesion of the European Union. A victory for challenger Péter Magyar and his center-right Tisza Party could unlock billions in frozen EU money, shift Budapest's stance on the war in Ukraine and signal a pro-European pivot after years of confrontation with Brussels.
