Viktor Orbán and his centre-right rival, Péter Magyar, have exchanged sharp accusations of seeking foreign interference as Hungary’s election campaign enters its final stretch.
The vote on Sunday is being closely watched in Budapest and also in Brussels, Moscow and Washington. Polls suggest the opposition candidate holds a lead, raising the possibility that the contest could bring an end to Orbán’s 16 years as Hungarian prime minister.
As the campaign neared its conclusion, both sides intensified their attacks. Orbán used social media on Friday to accuse Magyar of trying to gain power by any means necessary, saying his opponent would “stop at nothing to seize power”.
The dispute adds to the already high stakes of an election that has become a test of Orbán’s long political dominance. The nationalist leader has been a central figure in Hungarian politics for years, and the outcome of the vote is being followed closely beyond the country’s borders because of its potential implications for relations with the European Union, Russia and the United States.
Magyar, who has emerged as Orbán’s main challenger, has helped reshape the political contest into one with wider European significance. With the campaign now in its final days, the focus has turned to how voters will respond to competing claims about power, influence and outside meddling.
Sunday’s election is expected to decide whether Orbán can extend his grip on office or whether Hungary will enter a new political era under his opposition rival.
