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| Europe |
| Orban scores crushing victory as Ukraine war solidifies support |
| 2022-04-04 |
| [Al-Rooters] Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban scored a fourth consecutive landslide win in Sunday's election, as voters endorsed his ambition of a conservative, "illiberal" state and shrugged off concerns over Budapest's close ties with Moscow. Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine had appeared to upend Orban's campaign in recent weeks, forcing him into awkward manouvering to explain decade-old cosy business relations with President Vladimir Putin. But he mounted a successful campaign to persuade his Fidesz party's core electorate that the six-party opposition alliance of Peter Marki-Zay promising to mend ties with the European Union could lead the country into war, an accusation the opposition denied. Surrounded by leading party members, a triumphant Orban, 58, said Sunday's victory came against all odds. "We have scored a victory so big, that it can be seen even from the Moon," he said. "We have defended Hungary's sovereignty and freedom." Preliminary results with about 98% of national party list votes counted showed Orban's Fidesz party leading with 53.1% of votes versus 35% for Marki-Zay's opposition alliance. Fidesz was also winning 88 of 106 single-member constituencies. Based on preliminary results, the National Election Office said Fidesz would have 135 seats, a two-thirds majority, and the opposition alliance would have 56 seats. A far-right party called Our Homeland would also make it into parliament, winning 7 seats. His comfortable victory could embolden Orban, 58, in his policy agenda which critics say amounts to a subversion of democratic norms, media freedom and the rights of minorities, particularly gay and lesbian people. Conceding defeat, Marki-Zay, 49, said Fidesz's win was due to what he called its vast propaganda machine, including media dominance. "I don't want to hide my disappointment, my sadness ... We knew this would be an uneven playing field," he said. "We admit that Fidesz got a huge majority of the votes. But we still dispute whether this election was democratic and free." |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #8 Putin stooge. |
| Posted by: Don Vito and Company8397 2022-04-04 22:31 |
| #7 He pisses off the EU and Soros. I like that. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2022-04-04 10:15 |
| #6 The 22 traditional Hungarian pastries and cakes you should know. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-04-04 10:02 |
| #5 Ich bin ein Hungarian national pastry! |
| Posted by: SteveS 2022-04-04 09:38 |
| #4 Hungary's population just sent a major "Fuck You" to Brussels. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2022-04-04 09:31 |
| #3 I blame a lack of mail-in voting. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-04-04 09:10 |
| #2 /\ If he mentions FOX News, we'll know he is a Democrat. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2022-04-04 09:07 |
| #1 This guy must be talking about the USA- Conceding defeat, Marki-Zay, 49, said Fidesz's win was due to what he called its vast propaganda machine, including media dominance. |
| Posted by: jack salami 2022-04-04 09:01 |