In a sharp drop in temperature and a mixture of rain and snow that could affect the turnout, a steady stream of voters voted after the polls opened at 6 p.m. in elections that have raised concerns about possible fraud and the outcome of which could determine the direction of Hungary at a key point. moment in international affairs. Opinion polls show a tough race following the merger of opposition parties into a six-party bloc, United for Hungary, in a bid to end Orban’s so-called “free” kingdom. However, the ruling Fidesz party appeared to be on the verge of retaining power, perhaps with a significantly reduced majority. Years of changes and changes to electoral rules have prompted the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to send a 200-member monitoring team, only the second time it has done so for an EU poll. Experts have predicted that the opposition needs a 5% majority in the popular vote to win a majority in Hungary’s 199-member parliament. Fears of fraud have risen after a large number of ballots – most of which were said to be for opposition candidates – were reportedly found partially burnt in a landfill bag last week in the Romanian region of Transylvania, where many Hungarians have citizenship and voting rights. “Elections will not be fair. “The system favors Fidesz,” Dominik Istrate, a Hungarian political analyst for the Central European Union based at Corvinus University in Budapest, said in a Twitter post. “If the irregularities committed by Orban are skyrocketing, the opposition could choose to reject the results,” he wrote. “The rejection of the election results would spark an unprecedented political crisis in the EU.” Orban dismissed the allegations of fraud, telling reporters on Sunday: “These are clean and fair elections. “Everyone had a chance to convince the voters.” He seemed less comfortable responding to fresh criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly challenged the Hungarian leader for his perceived lack of support and preference for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. In his last video speech, Zelensky described Orban as “the only leader in Europe who openly supports Putin.” “Mr Zelensky is not voting today,” Orban said. Hungarian opposition leader Péter Márki-Zay, a 49-year-old economist portrayed by Orbán as a warlord seeking to send troops to Ukraine, concluded his campaign by saying “Orbán brought shame to our nation.” a vote in favor of the opposition would be a vote for Hungary to take root in Europe and the EU. At a polling station at a doctor’s office on Szondi Street in central Budapest, Judith Berki, 45, echoed Márki-Zay’s embarrassment when she explained her decision to vote for United in Hungary. “Orban steals and creates enemies. “When I’m abroad, I do not want to say I’m Hungarian.” Agnes, 69, a retired professor of biology and chemistry, had a different view. “I voted for Orban because I am Hungarian and a nationalist, not a fascist.” Referring to the events in Ukraine, he said: “Every war is terrible. “But we do not want to be in this war.”
