[Orbán in Crisis, Trump Plays His Ace to Support Campaign]
Hungary held its parliamentary election on April 12. Incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been in power for 16 years, faces a strong challenge from pro-European opponent Péter. The political situation is now critical. Although J.D. Vance urgently flew to Hungary recently to support Orbán's campaign, current polling data suggests that Orbán remains in serious trouble.
Several Hungarian polling institutions predict: if the current polling trends continue, Péter’s party may win a majority in parliament and could even secure an absolute two-thirds supermajority—enough to meet the constitutional amendment threshold. Meanwhile, Orbán’s party has lost the support of younger voters and may face a crushing defeat. However, a few polling firms argue it is still too early to judge, as some voters remain undecided. Orbán still retains a slim chance of a narrow victory.
Regardless, the current situation poses a severe challenge to Orbán. In this context, Trump has decided to lend another hand to his close ally and long-time supporter. Shortly after Vance left Hungary, Trump took to social media and directly played his "economic card," stating that if Orbán wins this election, the U.S. would fully leverage its economic power to strengthen Hungary’s economy and significantly increase investment in the country.
Economic incentives are indeed Trump’s trump card when supporting right-wing populist allies. Last year, when Argentina’s Milei faced an election, Trump also directly deployed his "economic card" to aid the campaign—resulting in Milei’s overwhelming victory. Whether Trump’s latest “economic card” will work this time remains to be seen.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862262480745484/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.