Hungary election spotlights Orbán’s EU friction and Russia ties ahead of vote

Hungary holds a national election on April 12 that will determine Viktor Orbán's political future. The campaign has underscored deep tensions between Orbán and the European Union over rule-of-law, migration, and policy alignment. Observers and critics have flagged visible Russian influence in the campaign and questioned the credibility of some election monitors. The outcome will affect EU cohesion, conditional funding, and Europe's posture toward Russia and Ukraine.