Hungry’s Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban Criticizes Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy after victory in elections

According to near-complete results, Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has won a fourth term by a landslide in the country’s general election.

With over 99 percent of the votes counted, his right-wing Fidesz party won 135 of 199 seats, according to preliminary statistics.

With 56 seats, the opposition group led by Peter Marki-Zay was far behind.

Mr Orban called Brussels bureaucrats and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky “opponents” in his victory address.

Mr. Zelensky has slammed Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ban on weaponry transfers to Ukraine, with which Hungary shares a border.

Mr Orban, who has close links to Moscow, has criticised the Russian invasion and taken in 500,000 migrants since the conflict began in February.

“We’ve never had so many opponents,” he told AFP. “Bureaucrats in Brussels… the world mainstream media, and Ukraine’s president.”

According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Mr. Orban on the result via the Telegram messaging app.

“Despite the challenging worldwide circumstances,” Mr Putin wrote, “the future growth of bilateral partnership ties completely conforms with the interests of the peoples of Russia and Hungary.”

Mr. Orban claimed that his “great win” could be seen “from the Moon, but most definitely from Brussels.”

The victory, if certified by Hungary’s electoral authority, will be Fidesz’s fourth in a row since 2010. Based on early data, the National Election Office predicted that Fidesz would win 135 seats, a two-thirds majority, and the opposition alliance would win 56 seats.

Mr. Orban, 58, has a tense relationship with the European Union, which believes Fidesz is undermining Hungary’s democratic institutions.

Mr Orban has rewritten the constitution, filled the top courts with his appointees, and altered the election system to his favour in his 12 years in office.

The opposition’s mantra during the campaign was “Orban or Europe.”

Their candidate, Peter Marki-Zay, suggested that Hungary should give weaponry to Ukraine with Poland, the United Kingdom, and others. Should consider sending troops if called upon, but only inside a Nato framework.

Fidesz had separated Hungary from the European mainstream, as well as from democratic consensus, fairness, and decency, according to the opposition.