Hungarians go to the polls to decide fate of pro-Trump leader Orbán

The outcome of the vote could have political implications, not just in Budapest, but in Brussels, Washington, and Moscow

By The Foreign Desk Staff

Published: April 12, 2026 12:45am

Voters in Hungary will go to the polls Sunday in the most significant election there in more than a decade, one that could push Donald Trump ally Viktor Orbán out of power for the first time since 2010.

The vote is being closely watched across the European Union, where Hungary under Orbán has often been the lone dissenting voice on geopolitical matters; in the U.S., where Orbán has been among Trump’s staunchest European allies; and in Russia, where Orbán is seen as the most pro-Moscow voice in the 27-nation EU bloc.

For the first time since coming into power 16 years ago, election polls predict Orbán, 62, will lose, with centrist Peter Magyar favored to be victorious, though analysts warn that an election-day surprise Orbán victory is not out of the question.

Polls will close at 7 p.m. local time in Hungary (1 p.m. EST), though results won’t be known for several hours after that, perhaps longer if the vote is close.