After his landslide election victory in 2022 and re-election for a fourth consecutive term, Viktor Orban, seen as a ‘role model’ by many on the American far-right for his tough stance on immigration, support for families, and Christian conservatism, has garnered attention.
Former US President Donald Trump expressed readiness to renew the conservative alliance with Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban in a video message released on Friday.
Analysts suggest that the re-election of Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s nominee, could potentially ease the strained relations between Budapest and Washington.
Tensions have arisen due to Budapest’s close dialogue with Moscow and Hungary’s delay in approving Sweden’s NATO membership.
In his released video message, Trump stated, “As the 47th President of the United States, I eagerly look forward to once again working closely with Prime Minister Orban when I take office. The Hungarian leader is a great person.”
Praising Orban further, Trump remarked, “As president, I was proud to work with Prime Minister Orban to advance the values and interests of both nations. He’s a great person. We stopped illegal immigration, protected our borders, created jobs, and defended our traditions and Judeo-Christian values.”
Trump’s message was broadcasted during the third edition of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Budapest, considered one of the leading conservative gatherings in the US, bringing together representatives of the Republican Party’s conservative wing and hosting various events such as political debates, strategy sessions, panels, speeches, and booths.
While previous American administrations have accused Viktor Orban’s government of restricting democratic freedoms such as press freedom and judicial independence, the years of Trump’s presidency saw closer relations between the US and Hungary.
Following a meeting in Florida in March, where Orban supported the former president and suggested that only Donald Trump’s return to the White House could bring peace to Ukraine, it became evident that Orban is one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe.
During his speech at CPAC on Thursday, Orban emphasized that 2024 would be a year of global elections and urged conservative forces to work towards ending “liberal hegemony.”
He stated, “These elections coincide with significant changes in world political and geopolitical trends. The world order is changing, and we must carry our cause to victory amidst these changes. Liberals sense the danger. Changing this period means changing them.”
Encouraging Trump to defend his own truth in ongoing lawsuits, Orban remarked, “If necessary, they will use state institutions against us. As my American friends also say, ‘weaponizing state institutions’… This is constantly happening to us Hungarians in Brussels. The same thing happened to President Trump in America, and we encourage him to fight for his truths not only in elections but also in courts.”
With the upcoming European Parliament elections and local elections in Hungary, Orban’s 14-year reign could face its toughest challenges yet, especially amidst a recession in the country’s economy and a harassment scandal that rocked the foundation of its family values platform.
In this scandal, it was revealed that Katalin Novak, a close colleague of Orban and Hungary’s President, pardoned a former children’s home manager convicted as an accomplice in a sexual abuse case against children (Pedophilia case).
Despite these negative developments, Orban’s Fidesz party continues to be the most popular political party in Hungary.
