Because of his constant disagreement with him
Orban's victory is a wake-up call for the European Union
Trump endorsed Orban's candidacy, describing him as a "strong leader."
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Zelensky said that Orban is the only leader in Europe who supports Putin.
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It is clear that Victor Orbán's victory in the Hungarian elections will be welcomed and rejoiced by Moscow, Beijing and (Mara-Lago), the residence of former US President Donald Trump, but it will serve as a warning of terror for the European Union, and Kiev.
Ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary elections (on Sunday), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Orban as "practically the only leader in Europe who explicitly supports Russian President Vladimir Putin." The Hungarian Prime Minister responded immediately after declaring victory, describing Zelensky as one of his "enemies". whom he defeated, as well as the bureaucrats in Brussels, and the international media.
Orban praised Putin:
Even if we overlook the euphoria of victory Orban might have felt on election eve, his mockery of Zelensky on the day brutal war crimes against Ukrainian civilians were revealed is a bad thing.
But it wasn't surprising.
In the past, Orban praised Putin for "making Russia great again."
He had a jovial meeting with the Russian president in Moscow, shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Former US President Donald Trump is a fan of Orban.
At the beginning of this year, the former US president supported Orban's candidacy for re-election as prime minister of Hungary, describing him as a "strong leader" who did a strong and wonderful job.
Orban developed a special relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Hungary was the first country from the European Union to buy the Chinese drug "Sinopharma" against the Corona virus.
Orban's government rejected an EU statement criticizing China regarding the situation in Hong Kong.
global significance
This kind of attention-grabbing action explains why elections in Hungary, a country of just 10 million people, or about 2% of the European Union's population, have global significance.
Through his words and actions, Orban has presented himself as a spokesman for an ideology he calls "illiberal democracy".
In Hungary, this means the existence of a political system that preserves the manifestations of democracy, but empties it of its content.
The elections last weekend were fair.
But Orban has falsified the political system to his advantage, for more than a decade.
He organized courts at his whim, and the civil service was purged, not to mention tampering with the electoral system.
In addition to all that, there was an attack on media freedom.
Hungarian opposition leader Peter Marche-Zay received only five minutes of broadcasts on state television during the campaign period.
All Hungarian newspapers are European friendly.
This political climate explains to us why Hungary is the only country in the European Union that is classified as “partly free” by the think tank Freedom House.
A model for the United States to follow
Despite this record, or perhaps as a result of it, Orban is the favorite of the Trump-backed right in the United States.
The former chief strategist in the Trump administration, Steve Bannon, classified the Hungarian leader as a “hero,” and Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson moved his entire program to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, for a whole week, last year, to present Hungary under Orban’s rule as a potential model. The United States can emulate him.
The far right in the United States and Europe views Orban as a role model because of his nationalist extremism, his militancy against refugees, and his acceptance of populist slogans on cultural issues.
During the last election campaign Orban described his problems with the EU as being caused by the EU's desire to impose “gender frenzy” on Hungary.
In fact, the crux of the dispute between the EU and Budapest is that the EU accuses Orbán's government of systematically undermining the rule of law and of funneling EU funds to Orbán's close friends.
One of Orbán's school friends is now Hungary's richest man.
reinforce fears
Orbán's victory in the election will only reinforce the EU's fears that it may be too late to take action against this man.
Illiberal democracy appears to be quite rooted in Hungary.
Orban, 58, is considered the longest-serving European Union leader, and may continue in power for several years to come.
But although his fans around the world will feel justified in their happiness, Urban's life may soon become more complicated.
Tightrope walking
For more than a decade, Orban has been walking a tightrope. He has been in the EU club, enjoying all the advantages it holds in the sense of investments, support, increased security, and diplomatic clout.
At the same time, he flirts with anti-EU figures, such as Putin, Trump, and others.
But the Russian invasion of Ukraine will make it difficult for Orban to maintain this balance.
Driven by a mixture of moral anger and fear, EU countries are mobilizing against Putin.
The willingness to tolerate European double dealings with Russia will likely be greatly diminished.
As President Zelensky has said, the Hungarian leader may soon have to make his choice clear.
Until recently, Orbán was saved from isolation within the European Union by the support of the Polish government, which also clashed with the European Union over issues of rule of law.
But the Poles are now leading the call for tougher sanctions against Russia.
They express their apparent anger with Orban, and may be considering compromise with Brussels in the interests of EU unity against Russia.
After his election victory, Orban declared, as he had done in the past, that the type of illiberal conservatism represented Europe's future.
This is a challenge for the rest of the European Union.
It must be taken very seriously, at a time when some nationalists are committing atrocities in the war on Hungary's eastern frontier.
But Hungary's isolation in the European Union presents an opportunity to put some pressure that may be long overdue on Orban.
It must be done.
• The extreme right in the United States and Europe views Orban as a role model because of his nationalist extremism, his militancy against refugees, and his acceptance of populist slogans on cultural issues.
• Orban developed a special relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Hungary was the first country from the European Union to buy the Chinese drug Sinopharm against the Corona virus. Orban's government rejected an EU statement criticizing China regarding the situation in Hong Kong.
Gideon Rachman ■ Writer for the Financial Times
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