“We have won a victory so big that you can see it from the moon and you can definitely see it from Brussels,” Orban, 58, told supporters on Sunday, according to Euronews. “Do not be afraid, patience, the homeland is with you.” With about 60 percent of the vote counted on Sunday afternoon, Orban’s party had secured about 56 percent of the vote, compared to about 33 percent for the consolidated opposition parties. If these numbers persist, it would mean an increase for Orban and his allies compared to the last election four years ago, when turnout was also around 70%. Orban, known for his close alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin, confronted Peter Marki-Zei of the pro-European United for Hungary party. Shortly after Orban declared victory, Markey-Zee wrote on Twitter: “Do not let go of each other!” Orban, Hungary’s longest-serving leader since the fall of communism in 1989, is often embroiled in controversy with the European Union. His growing influence in the Hungarian judiciary and the suppression of the independent media have often angered Brussels. According to MSNBC, Orban’s close relationship with Putin has become a challenge for his political party, with Orban downgrading his proximity to Putin amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Orban recently tried to take a more neutral stance in the midst of the Russian attack, neither by sending support to Ukraine nor by banning Russian energy imports. However, the Hungarian government recently announced that it would accept Ukrainian refugees. Serbian President Vucic well on his way to winning a second term Pakistani Prime Minister Hahn calls for early elections amid efforts to overthrow him In a speech to the European Council last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky singled out Hungary for its stance on Moscow. “You have to decide for yourself who you are with,” Zelensky told Hungary. “You are a sovereign state. I’m gone to Budapest. I love your city. “ Zelensky recalled massacres and tragedies in the history of Hungary and said that they also happened in Ukraine at the hands of Russian forces. The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the discussion. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.
