Hungary: strong mobilization of voters during decisive legislative elections for Viktor Orban

Published on: 03/04/2022 – 21:24 In Hungary, polling stations closed on Sunday after an election day marked by a high turnout. Hungarians had the option of voting for Viktor Orban, the outgoing nationalist prime minister, or for a six-party alliance, led by Peter Marki-Zay. Hungarians rushed in large numbers on Sunday, April 3, to vote in the legislative elections, at the end of which the sovereignist Viktor Orban hopes to win a fourth consecutive term by brandishing the fear of war in this neighboring country of Ukraine. Facing him , an unprecedented alliance of six parties, determined to overthrow the 58-year-old leader. Accused by Brussels of multiple attacks on the rule of law, he muzzled justice and the media over 12 years, while advocating an ultra-conservative vision of society. The polling stations closed at 7 p.m. (5 p.m. GMT ) after a large turnout – the turnout stood at 67.8% half an hour before the close, a figure very close to the 2018 record. In the absence of exit polls, the first projections will not be known until later in the evening. Most opinion polls give an advantage to Fidesz, the ruling party, but the battle has never been so close and analysts remain cautious. Black jacket and determined face, Viktor Orban voted with his wife Aniko Levai in very early in the morning, in a school in the suburbs of Budapest, promising a “great victory”. An opposition which considers itself wronged The leader of the opposition Peter Marki-Zay, Catholic and father of seven children, has him slipped his ballot into the ballot box with his family, after attending mass in his town of Hodmezovasarhely, in the south-east of the country. If he remains hopeful of winning, the 49-year-old conservative mayor denounced ” unfair and impossible conditions” aimed at allowing his rival to “remain in power forever”. And to quote government-run state media – he himself got just five minutes on state television, all in all. “The power of the pro-government press is too great, I don’t think we’re going to win”, abounded Flora Arpad, a 19-year-old student, who was voting for the first time. The ballot was held for the first time under the supervision of more than 200 international observers. Each camp has also deployed thousands of volunteers. “MZP” has crisscrossed the country in recent weeks, listening to residents, in the hope of defeating the “propaganda” of the government. Conversely, “Viktor Orban was invisible or almost invisible on the ground”, underlines Andras Pulai, of the Publicus polling institute close to the opposition. But because of the electoral system, the opposition would have to “win 3 to 4 points” to win a majority in Parliament, recalls the expert. A referendum on “sex reassignment and homosexuality” Especially since the conflict in neighboring Ukraine has completely upset the deal. “The war broke out, and the war changed everything”, summed up Viktor Orban on Friday during his only campaign rally. “Peace against war”, the equation is simple in his eyes. On the one hand, his government which refuses to deliver arms to Ukraine and to vote on sanctions which would deprive the Hungarians of precious Russian oil and gas. On the other, an opposition that would be bellicose. In addition to the election of their deputies, the Hungarians were called upon to answer four questions in connection with the recent law prohibiting to discuss with those under 18 “the change of sex and homosexuality”. An “unhealthy” referendum for NGOs which had asked voters to “invalidate” their ballots by ticking two boxes instead of one. This is what Regina, 25, did, very upset against this initiative making LGBT + “an enemy”. With AFP