President Trump praises Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán for his stance on immigration
President Donald Trump has praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s immigration policies and signaled support for his re-election in 2026.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat on Sunday, April 12, after the country’s opposition Tisza was expected to win a landslide victory in parliamentary elections, marking a setback for Russia’s ally and President Donald Trump.
Mr Orbán, a veteran nationalist leader, has led Hungary since 2010 after winning four consecutive elections with his Fidesz party. Mr Orbán, 62, drew international criticism during his 16 years in power on a range of issues including democratic standards, press freedom and LGBTQ+ rights.
Critics have compared Mr. Orban to Mr. Trump, citing attacks on government institutions, a rollback of democracy and a rollback of civil rights. The Hungarian prime minister is seen as a hero by many in the MAGA movement, and Trump’s critics have also compared the president’s second-term agenda to strategies used by Mr. Orbán to consolidate power in Hungary.
But after three years of economic stagnation, rising costs of living, and reports that oligarchs close to the government are amassing even more wealth, many Hungarians are becoming increasingly fed up with Mr. Orbán. Vice President J.D. Vance visited Hungary days before the election and made a last-minute push to support Orban.
Prime Minister Orbán and his Fidesz party faced a close election on April 12. In the end, Tisza was expected to win a two-thirds majority in parliament, handing victory to Tisza party leader Péter Magyar, 45.
The 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s government characterized by structural changes
Orbán was first elected prime minister in 1998 and served in the role until 2002, USA TODAY previously reported. He returned to power in 2010 and was re-elected for a fourth term in 2022.
After Hungary’s centre-right opposition Fidesz party won a landslide victory in the 2010 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Orbán passed a new constitution in 2011 and implemented hundreds of legal reforms.
During the Fidesz party’s first term, the government introduced measures that forced many judges into early retirement, prompting criticism and opposition from the European Union. The Hungarian Constitutional Court later invalidated parts of the law.
Critics of Mr. Orbán have long argued that changes to Hungary’s electoral system have cemented Mr. Fidesz’s power. These changes include redrawing electoral districts, favoring larger parties and extending voting rights to ethnic Hungarians across Central Europe, many of whom continue to support Mr. Orbán.
Moreover, Mr. Orbán’s allies hold key positions in key institutions.
Since 2022, Prime Minister Orbán has frequently ruled by decree under a state of emergency declared in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government has also increased scrutiny of nongovernmental organizations and academic institutions.
Prime Minister Orbán has rejected accusations that his policies undermine democratic institutions, insisting instead that he has been mandated by Hungarian voters to rewrite laws.
Conservative strategy of Hungarian hardliners
During his time in office, Orbán positioned himself as a defender of Hungarian cultural identity. He strongly opposed immigration, especially from Muslim-majority countries, and framed his policies as defending Christian values against Western liberalism and what he described as “gender ideology and LGBT ideology.”
His government amended the constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman, and introduced restrictions on adoption by same-sex couples and transgender rights. Last year, Hungary’s parliament passed a law allowing authorities to ban Pride marches.
President Trump previously praised Orban’s tough stance on immigration and said he told European leaders they could learn from the Hungarian prime minister. Hungary implemented some of Europe’s strictest refugee policies in response to the 2015 European migration crisis.
At the time, President Orbán ordered the construction of a fence along Hungary’s southern border, and his government rejected immigration as a solution to population decline. Prime Minister Orbán instead sought to address the declining birth rate with family tax breaks.
In 2022, Prime Minister Orban spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas. He gave a speech titled “How We Will Fight” in which he talked about re-centering Christian values in American politics to fight “progressive liberals.”
“We cannot succeed in fighting through liberal means,” he told the crowd, USA TODAY reported.
The European Union and pro-democracy groups have also accused Mr. Orbán of restricting press freedom, a charge his government denies.
Prime Minister Orbán faces criticism over relations with Russia
On the international stage, Prime Minister Orbán has pursued “opening up the East” toward Russia and China. The administration has encouraged business investment from these countries as well as German car companies.
President Orbán condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and supported European Union sanctions against Russia, but he also opposed restrictions on Russian energy shipments, saying they would harm the country’s economy.
Hungary is one of the largest remaining importers of Russian oil and gas in Europe. The country has come under intense criticism over Mr. Orbán’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have been tense over several issues, including energy transport. Hungary had previously blocked a European Union proposal for a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine.
Contributors: Francesca Chambers, James Powel, Kate Perez, USA TODAY. Reuters
