Hungary chooses. The war in Ukraine reminds Hungarians of their history. But does the opposition alliance really stand a chance?
Since the beginning of March, new posters have been appearing all over Hungary: a determined Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a black jacket looks confidently from a medium distance at the slogan “Let’s save Hungary’s peace and security!”. It is no accident that he resembles the Ukrainian wartime president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The poster circulated ten days after the Russian attack on Ukraine – an event that drowned out Fidesz campaign narratives ahead of next weekend’s Hungarian general election. When Putin’s dirty war began, everyone in Hungary expected the ruling party’s popularity ratings to drop.