DEBRECEN, Hungary (AP) 鈥� The leaders of Hungary’s two biggest parties held their final election rallies on Saturday to close a turbulent campaign that will reach its apex in Sunday’s election.
Prime Minister is facing the biggest political test of his career as his ‘s center-right Tisza party has charted a meteoric rise and is leading by double digits in most independent polls.
If Tisza wins, it will bring Orb谩n’s 16-year grip on power to a dramatic end.
Yet many observers expect the result to be closer than polls are predicting, and that Orb谩n’s Fidesz party can successfully mobilize its significant base of .
Magyar, a 45-year-old lawyer and former member of Fidesz’s political elite, has toured Hungary relentlessly for two years, visiting hundreds of cities, towns and villages in an effort to .
He appeared before thousands of supporters on Saturday on University Square in Debrecen, Hungary’s second-largest city and traditionally a .
Magyar struck a confident tone, saying the election would 鈥渆nter Hungarian history books as the day of resurrection, the renewal of the Hungarian nation, and of the real change of regime.鈥�
He also gestured toward supporters of Orb谩n, saying his camp would begin the 鈥渞eunification鈥� of Hungary after election day, something he called a 鈥渘ational reconciliation.鈥�
鈥淎s the winner of the election, we will have to extend a hand to our fellow countrymen,鈥� he said.
Orb谩n, who ended his campaign on Budapest’s opulent Castle Hill, has campaigned primarily by sounding the alarm on he says are threatening Hungarians 鈥� particularly the war in neighboring Ukraine.
Orb谩n doubled down on that message, telling thousands of supporters that 鈥渨e are in an age of danger.鈥�
鈥淗ungary is facing serious challenges,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to say no to major power groups in the world in order to defend ourselves, and this requires knowledge, experience and routine.鈥�
He added: 鈥淣ow is not the time to take risks, to change, to renew and to adventure. Now we need to protect and secure what we have.鈥�
Orb谩n鈥檚 campaign has been plagued by Hungary鈥檚 , revelations of the government鈥檚 increasingly and corruption allegations.
He has sought to boost his appeal with voters by emphasizing his , who has repeatedly endorsed the Hungarian leader. Vice President JD Vance made a two-day visit to Budapest earlier this week to , even appearing at a taxpayer-funded campaign rally alongside the prime minister.
Meanwhile, Magyar has focused his campaign on issues that affect ordinary Hungarians like inflation, costs of living and the deteriorating state of public health care and transportation.
He has also spoken forcefully about what he describes as endemic governmental corruption that enriches a narrow segment of political elites 鈥� charges Orb谩n denies 鈥� and promised to away from the European Union in favor of ever closer ties with Moscow.
As his supporters waved national flags and chanted 鈥淓ur贸pa! Eur贸pa!鈥� in University Square, Magyar said that 鈥渕any millions鈥� of voters would show on Sunday that 鈥淗ungary鈥檚 place was, is, and will be in Europe.鈥�
Magyar earlier visited several smaller communities in eastern Hungary including Balmaz煤jv谩ros, a town of around 17,000 residents.
One local Tisza activist, farmer Annam谩ria Matkovics, said she had joined Magyar’s party when it was first launched in 2024. While her region has historically been a Fidesz stronghold, Matkovics, 50, said she believes that Tisza has given people the courage to express their dissent, even if could come with consequences.
鈥淲hen we鈥檙e campaigning on the street, people tell us that they鈥檙e worried that they鈥檒l lose their jobs if they don鈥檛 vote for Fidesz, and they鈥檙e still planning to vote for Tisza,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey’ve had enough of the division.鈥�
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Iv谩n L. Nagy contributed.
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