Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a third straight term in power in Sunday
elections after his anti-immigration campaign message secured a strong
majority for his party in parliament, granting him two-thirds of seats
based on preliminary results.
The rightwing nationalist prime minister projected himself as a
savior of Hungary’s Christian culture against Muslim migration into
Europe, an image which resonated with millions of voters, especially in
rural areas.“We have won, Hungary has won a great victory,” a
jubilant Orban told a large crowd of cheering supporters near the Danube
river in Budapest. “There is a big battle behind us, we have won a crucial victory, giving ourself a chance to defend Hungary.”
According
to preliminary results with 93 percent of votes counted, National
Election Office data projected Fidesz to win 133 seats, a tight
two-thirds majority in the 199-seat parliament. Nationalist Jobbik was
projected to win 26 seats, while the Socialists were projected as third
with 20 lawmakers.
Two smaller leftist parties, DK and LMP, won nine and eight seats respectively.
That
means Orban could have a two-thirds majority for a third time, and
powers to change constitutional laws. The EU has struggled to respond as
Orban’s government has, in the view of its critics, used its two
landslide victories in 2010 and 2014 to erode democratic checks and
balances.
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