Hungarian opposition will make gains in EU elections

Significance A scandal engulfing the ruling right-wing Fidesz party and the subsequent meteoric rise of Peter Magyar as a key opposition player have marked the run-up to the polls, which until then had been expected merely to confirm Fidesz’s dominance of the Hungarian political scene. As a result, the vote will be an important barometer of Hungarians’ appetite for change. Impacts If the opposition retains power in Budapest, the capital will likely continue to be deprived of central funding. Viktor Orban will continue to challenge the EU’s support for Ukraine. A good result for Magyar’s party in the European polls would boost Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election bid for European Commission president.