Hungarians expected to grant third term to nationalist PM Orban in election

After an acrimonious campaign in which Orban has projected himself as a savior of Hungary’s Christian culture against Muslim migration into Europe, all opinion polls put his Fidesz party well ahead.

A strong victory could embolden him to put more muscle into a Central European alliance against the European Union’s migration policies. Orban, Hungary’s longest-serving post-communist premier, strongly opposes deeper integration of the bloc.

A landslide win would make Orban feel vindicated in his decision to run a single-issue campaign, arguing that migration posed a big security threat. Orban’s critics said his stance has fueled xenophobia in Hungary.

A strong win for Orban would also boost other right-wing nationalists in Central Europe, in Poland and in neighboring Austria, and expose cracks in the 28-nation EU.

The EU has struggled to respond as Orban’s government has used its two landslide victories in 2010 and 2014 to erode democratic checks and balances, by curbing the powers of the constitutional court, controlling the media, and appointing loyalists to key positions.

Orban has far-right admirers across Europe who like his tough line on migrants. He is also credited with keeping the budget deficit under control, reducing unemployment and some of Hungary’s debt, and putting its economy on a growth track.

On Friday, at his closing campaign rally, Orban vowed to protect his nation from Muslim migrants.

“Migration is like rust that slowly but surely would consume Hungary,” he said.

The fierce anti-immigrant campaign has gone down well with around two million core voters of Fidesz.

“Migrants should not come here, and this (Fidesz’) economic policy should continue,” said Janos Dimovics, a pensioner who came from his village to see Orban. He had always voted for Fidesz and praised Orban’s policy to support families.

In March the government also gave pre-election handouts to millions of families and pensioners.

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