Hungary’s main opposition Tisza party has widened its lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling Fidesz party, according to two opinion polls released on Wednesday, raising the stakes ahead of the April 12 parliamentary election. The vote marks the first time in years that Orban, who has been in power since 2010, faces a serious electoral challenge, with implications for both Hungary’s political direction and the wider European landscape.
A survey by pollster Median showed Tisza, led by former government insider Peter Magyar, extending its advantage over Fidesz to 12 percentage points among decided voters. Tisza was backed by 51% of voters, while support for Fidesz slipped to 39%. Median noted that while Tisza is mainly attracting voters from other opposition parties, Fidesz has struggled to regain ground despite economic incentives and efforts to rally voters around fears linked to the war in Ukraine.
A second poll by the Idea Institute also pointed to a strong showing for Tisza, placing it at 48% support—10 points ahead of Fidesz. Magyar has pledged to keep Hungary firmly anchored in the European Union and NATO while pursuing pragmatic ties with Russia, contrasting with Orban’s closer relations with Moscow and frequent clashes with Brussels. Apart from the two main rivals, only the far-right Our Homeland party is seen as having a realistic chance of entering parliament.
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