Hungary: with the start of the "Giro", Viktor Orban plays the sport card to enhance his power

The peloton at the start of the Giro, the cycling tour of Italy, in Budapest, this Friday, May 6.

AP - Tibor Illyes

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

One of the major cycling events of the season, the "Giro", started this Friday 6 May.

This year, the Tour of Italy started from Budapest, the Hungarian capital.

Less than a year after hosting four matches of Euro football, Hungary still attracts a major sporting event.

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With our correspondent in Budapest,

Florence La Bruyère

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban uses sport as a communication tool to improve his image and legitimize his regime.

Since his return to power twelve years ago, he has continued to invest in sport.

This

football enthusiast

has built dozens of stadiums.

The latest, which bears the name of the famous Hungarian footballer, 

Ferenc Puskas

, cost a whopping 600 million euros.

In Hungary, as in Russia, the big clubs are now run by politicians or businessmen close to the Prime Minister.

One goal: to host the Olympics

Like his friend Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban lobbies to attract major sporting events to his country.

In January, Budapest hosted the final of the Men's Handball Euro.

In June, it will be the turn of the World Swimming Championships and, the following year, the World Athletics Championships.

The list of competitions is long.

The aim is to restore Hungary's image and increase its influence in the region.

But Viktor Orban's dearest wish is to host the Olympics.

By providing Hungary with state-of-the-art stadiums, the Prime Minister hopes to promote his country's candidacy.

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  • Hungary

  • Italy

  • Cycling

  • Sports

  • Victor Orban