For Orbán — who has ruled Hungary for 16 years and built a system he calls “illiberal democracy” — the visit is a chance to project international support at a critical moment in the campaign. POLITICO’s Poll of Polls shows Fidesz trailing Magyar’s opposition Tisza party.
Vance is not the first senior U.S. figure to deploy to Budapest ahead of the election. His trip follows a February visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared a “golden age” in U.S.-Hungarian relations.
The campaign trail has seen controversy and accusations of foreign interference that extend beyond the U.S.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó acknowledged talking with Russian officials as EU ministers weighed new sanctions, with reports suggesting Budapest sought to weaken measures targeting Russian elites and oil shipments. Meanwhile, a documentary by independent journalists, The Price of a Vote, alleged widespread vote-buying and pressure on voters in rural areas — claims the government has dismissed as politically motivated.
Hungary has been in this position before. In 2022, a united opposition was also expected to challenge Orbán — only for Fidesz to win a two-thirds supermajority.