Arabic version: زيارة جي دي فانس إلى هنغاريا لدعم جهود أوربان لإعادة انتخابه

US Vice-President JD Vance is due in Hungary to back Prime Minister Viktor Orban in a tough parliamentary election. Vance is expected to address an election rally with Orban in a football stadium in Budapest on Tuesday afternoon. This visit highlights the ongoing support from the Trump administration for Orban, who faces a significant challenge in the upcoming election.

According to BBC News, Orban is up against Peter Magyar, a former insider in Orban’s Fidesz party, who broke with him two years ago to found the centre-right Tisza party. Recent polls suggest that Tisza leads Fidesz by between 10% and 20%, marking this election as one of Orban’s toughest challenges in a political career going back almost 40 years.

Orban’s political alliance with former President Trump has been a cornerstone of his administration, dating back to 2016 when he was the first EU leader to endorse Trump. This relationship has remained strong, with Trump expressing his complete and total support for Orban’s re-election efforts in a recent message.

The election occurs against a backdrop of escalating energy challenges for Hungary, which has continued to rely heavily on Russian fossil fuels despite EU pressures. Recent incidents, including a reported terror attack on the TurkStream gas pipeline, have added to the political tension. Critics, including opposition leader Peter Magyar, have suggested that the government may be using these events to sway voter sentiment ahead of the election.

As the election approaches, Orban’s campaign has focused on his hostility to Ukraine and its president, which he has framed as part of his strategy to appeal to Hungarian voters. With Vance’s visit, Orban hopes to bolster his image as a strong leader in a time of uncertainty, as he seeks to secure a fourth consecutive term in office.