Will voters back "the poster boy for the far-right"?

The Story – The election that could change Hungary

Podcast: The Story
Episode Date: April 6, 2026
Host: Luke Jones
Main Guests: Peter Conradi (Europe Editor, Sunday Times), Victor Sebestyen (author, journalist)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the high-stakes Hungarian election happening over the weekend—an event widely described as one of the most consequential political moments in Central Europe since the fall of communism. Host Luke Jones is joined by Sunday Times journalists Victor Sebestyen and Peter Conradi to explore the enduring impact of Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule, the meteoric rise of opposition challenger Péter Magyar, and why Hungary’s future has ramifications far beyond its borders.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Hungary’s Election Matters

Victor Sebestyen contextualizes the election as not just a local event but one with “huge significance for the future of populism and the European Union” (00:12).
Orban’s defeat “would send a message way beyond the significance of what happens in Hungary” (01:34).

2. Viktor Orban: Rise, Rule, and Transformation

Orban’s journey: Student reformer, Communist Party member out of pragmatism, then liberalizer post-1989, aided early in his career by George Soros (06:04).
“His story is full of iron myths... he said, oh, I want [Hungary] to be a boring country, just like Austria or Sweden.” — Victor Sebestyen (00:28)
Key shift: After his return to power in 2010, Orban morphs into a proponent of “illiberal democracy,” fusing state-guided collectivism, nationalism, and tight control over press and judiciary (08:29–09:58).
Orban’s supermajority in parliament let him “remake Hungary in his own image... change the constitution, concentrate power” (09:30).

3. Democracy or Authoritarianism?

Elections technically occur every four years, but serious concerns about fairness: opposition media suppression, gerrymandered districts (10:09–11:25).
Orban’s Fidesz party disproportionately benefits from structural biases favoring rural voters—where its core base lies (10:45).
“There are no separation of powers at all. He's taken over the legal system, he's taken over the national bank, he's taken over the media.” — Victor Sebestyen (01:03)

4. Hungary's Controversial Stance in Europe

Orban’s close relationship with Russia, especially since the Ukraine invasion, has “turned him into a thorn in the side of the EU” (05:17).
He’s been accused of undermining EU support for Ukraine by stalling €90 billion in aid and allegedly sharing classified EU discussions with Moscow (11:25–13:05).
“One could say he's almost behaved like a Russian fifth column within the EU, literally, on occasions.” — Peter Conradi (12:15)
Anti-Zelensky messaging is a dominant election theme, with hostile campaign posters (13:05).

5. The Economic and Corruption Crisis

EU funds for Hungary largely frozen due to Orban's disrespect for the rule of law and corruption allegations; widespread enrichment of Orban’s allies from EU contracts (14:02–15:37).
The opposition accuses Orban of transforming Hungary into a “kleptocratic state” (15:20).

6. Orban’s International Influence and Populist Allies

Donald Trump openly endorses Orban: “He's done a brilliant job of leading and he's a very, very special person” (15:54–16:36).
Orban acts as a figurehead and rallying point for Europe’s far right.

7. Péter Magyar: The Challenger Who Could Topple Orban

Magyar, a Fidesz insider turned opponent, brands himself as a return to “European mainstream," tough on corruption and promising to end cronyism (19:27–22:19).
Naming twist: “What a gift for a politician. You certainly can't be accused of being unpatriotic if your name actually means Hungarian.” — Peter Conradi, on Magyar’s last name (18:32).
He’s managed to link everyday hardship—cost of living crisis, failing healthcare—to systemic corruption, giving his anti-Orban message currency across age groups (20:29–22:19).
Polls before the election show Magyar leading Orban by 9-17% (22:27).

8. Dirty Tricks and Election Fairness

Intimidation and smear campaigns abound: lurid (thus far unsubstantiated) claims of a sex tape and drug use, attempts to tie Magyar to foreign interests or Ukraine (22:57–24:27).
Vote buying and ballot-stuffing concerns linger, especially in rural regions. “There have been cases...where people loyal to the regime will approach voters, give them a little mobile phone... take a photograph of the ballot slip with your tick beside Fidesz, come back, show us the photograph and we’ll give you money” (24:44).
Still, “the expectation...is that the election will be largely fair, but it’s not excluded that certain things could happen when the world...is looking in the other direction” (25:46).

9. If Orban Loses: National, Regional, and Global Impact

Uncertainty remains whether “Orbanism” (his political system) will end with his personal defeat—much depends on whether Magyar wins a large enough supermajority to reverse constitutional changes (16:52).
EU policy will shift — especially over Ukraine aid — but Magyar is also “quite a conservative figure” and not “a pushover” (26:06).
Defeat for Orban would be “a blow” to the radical right worldwide, serving as proof that populists are not unbeatable, though not guaranteeing similar electoral outcomes elsewhere (26:06–27:53).
“Once it’s in power it’s not necessarily there forever.” — Peter Conradi (27:47)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

(00:28) Victor Sebestyen: “His story is full of iron myths...I want [Hungary] to be a boring country, just like Austria or Sweden. He always used to say what he admired in Western Europe was the free press. How times change.”
(01:03) Sebestyen: “There are no separation of powers at all. He’s taken over the legal system, he’s taken over the national bank, he’s taken over the media.”
(05:17) Conradi: “No other EU leader has been there such a long time...he’s really turned himself into a kind of a thorn in the side of the EU.”
(09:58) A/C: About Orban’s “illiberal” model: “He has more than two-thirds of the seats in parliament, which allows him to change the constitution, to really remake Hungary in his own image.”
(12:15) Conradi: “He's almost behaved like a Russian fifth column within the EU.”
(15:20) Conradi: “He’s turned Hungary into a kind of a kleptocratic state where businessmen are enriched by being close to the regime.”
(15:54) Trump (via video): “I also want to pay a very special regard to...Viktor Orban, who’s a great man and highly respected by everybody. He’s done a brilliant job of leading and he’s a very, very special person.”
(18:32) Conradi: “You certainly can't be accused of being unpatriotic if your name actually means Hungarian.”
(22:49) Jones/Conradi: “Viktor Orban is not going down without a fight... there’s been some extraordinary dirty tricks... [including] a sex tape... and attempts to paint Magyar as an agent of the Ukrainians.”
(24:44) Conradi: “There have been cases... where people loyal to the regime will approach voters, give them a little mobile phone... take a photograph of the ballot slip with your tick beside Fidesz... and we'll give you money.”
(27:47) Conradi: “Once [the radical right] is in power, it’s not necessarily there forever.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:12–01:03: Why this election matters, the myth and transformation of Orban
02:15–05:17: Election campaign atmosphere, contrasts in rallies (Orban vs Magyar supporters)
06:04–09:30: Orban’s early career, ideological evolution
10:09–11:25: Authoritarian shift, control over media/judiciary, election fairness
11:25–14:02: Hungary’s role in EU, Ukraine war stance, Orban’s Russian ties
14:02–15:54: Economic cost at home, corruption, loss of EU funds, international alliances
16:36–17:49: Stakes if Orban is ousted, durability of “Orbanism”
18:32–22:19: Introduction of Péter Magyar, background, policy platform, campaign strategy
22:27–24:27: Campaign “dirty tricks”, sex tape scandal, Magyar’s response
24:44–25:46: Election fairness concerns, vote buying
26:06–27:53: What a Magyar win would mean for Hungary, Europe, and the global populist right

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is searching and serious, laced with dry humor (“It’s like someone standing here called Peter England”), but ultimately urgent: warning that Hungary’s fate is bound up with wider European and global battles over democracy, populism, and the rule of law. The hosts and guests emphasize both the uniqueness of the Hungarian situation and its wider resonance: “it will show that the radical right can be beaten.”

For further discussion or to share your thoughts, contact: thestory@thetimes.com

The Story – The election that could change Hungary

Podcast: The Story
Episode Date: April 6, 2026
Host: Luke Jones
Main Guests: Peter Conradi (Europe Editor, Sunday Times), Victor Sebestyen (author, journalist)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Hungary’s Election Matters

Victor Sebestyen contextualizes the election as not just a local event but one with “huge significance for the future of populism and the European Union” (00:12).
Orban’s defeat “would send a message way beyond the significance of what happens in Hungary” (01:34).

2. Viktor Orban: Rise, Rule, and Transformation

Orban’s journey: Student reformer, Communist Party member out of pragmatism, then liberalizer post-1989, aided early in his career by George Soros (06:04).
“His story is full of iron myths... he said, oh, I want [Hungary] to be a boring country, just like Austria or Sweden.” — Victor Sebestyen (00:28)
Key shift: After his return to power in 2010, Orban morphs into a proponent of “illiberal democracy,” fusing state-guided collectivism, nationalism, and tight control over press and judiciary (08:29–09:58).
Orban’s supermajority in parliament let him “remake Hungary in his own image... change the constitution, concentrate power” (09:30).

3. Democracy or Authoritarianism?

Elections technically occur every four years, but serious concerns about fairness: opposition media suppression, gerrymandered districts (10:09–11:25).
Orban’s Fidesz party disproportionately benefits from structural biases favoring rural voters—where its core base lies (10:45).
“There are no separation of powers at all. He's taken over the legal system, he's taken over the national bank, he's taken over the media.” — Victor Sebestyen (01:03)

4. Hungary's Controversial Stance in Europe

Orban’s close relationship with Russia, especially since the Ukraine invasion, has “turned him into a thorn in the side of the EU” (05:17).
He’s been accused of undermining EU support for Ukraine by stalling €90 billion in aid and allegedly sharing classified EU discussions with Moscow (11:25–13:05).
“One could say he's almost behaved like a Russian fifth column within the EU, literally, on occasions.” — Peter Conradi (12:15)
Anti-Zelensky messaging is a dominant election theme, with hostile campaign posters (13:05).

5. The Economic and Corruption Crisis

EU funds for Hungary largely frozen due to Orban's disrespect for the rule of law and corruption allegations; widespread enrichment of Orban’s allies from EU contracts (14:02–15:37).
The opposition accuses Orban of transforming Hungary into a “kleptocratic state” (15:20).

6. Orban’s International Influence and Populist Allies

Donald Trump openly endorses Orban: “He's done a brilliant job of leading and he's a very, very special person” (15:54–16:36).
Orban acts as a figurehead and rallying point for Europe’s far right.

7. Péter Magyar: The Challenger Who Could Topple Orban

Magyar, a Fidesz insider turned opponent, brands himself as a return to “European mainstream," tough on corruption and promising to end cronyism (19:27–22:19).
Naming twist: “What a gift for a politician. You certainly can't be accused of being unpatriotic if your name actually means Hungarian.” — Peter Conradi, on Magyar’s last name (18:32).
He’s managed to link everyday hardship—cost of living crisis, failing healthcare—to systemic corruption, giving his anti-Orban message currency across age groups (20:29–22:19).
Polls before the election show Magyar leading Orban by 9-17% (22:27).

8. Dirty Tricks and Election Fairness

Intimidation and smear campaigns abound: lurid (thus far unsubstantiated) claims of a sex tape and drug use, attempts to tie Magyar to foreign interests or Ukraine (22:57–24:27).
Vote buying and ballot-stuffing concerns linger, especially in rural regions. “There have been cases...where people loyal to the regime will approach voters, give them a little mobile phone... take a photograph of the ballot slip with your tick beside Fidesz, come back, show us the photograph and we’ll give you money” (24:44).
Still, “the expectation...is that the election will be largely fair, but it’s not excluded that certain things could happen when the world...is looking in the other direction” (25:46).

9. If Orban Loses: National, Regional, and Global Impact

Uncertainty remains whether “Orbanism” (his political system) will end with his personal defeat—much depends on whether Magyar wins a large enough supermajority to reverse constitutional changes (16:52).
EU policy will shift — especially over Ukraine aid — but Magyar is also “quite a conservative figure” and not “a pushover” (26:06).
Defeat for Orban would be “a blow” to the radical right worldwide, serving as proof that populists are not unbeatable, though not guaranteeing similar electoral outcomes elsewhere (26:06–27:53).
“Once it’s in power it’s not necessarily there forever.” — Peter Conradi (27:47)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

(00:28) Victor Sebestyen: “His story is full of iron myths...I want [Hungary] to be a boring country, just like Austria or Sweden. He always used to say what he admired in Western Europe was the free press. How times change.”
(01:03) Sebestyen: “There are no separation of powers at all. He’s taken over the legal system, he’s taken over the national bank, he’s taken over the media.”
(05:17) Conradi: “No other EU leader has been there such a long time...he’s really turned himself into a kind of a thorn in the side of the EU.”
(09:58) A/C: About Orban’s “illiberal” model: “He has more than two-thirds of the seats in parliament, which allows him to change the constitution, to really remake Hungary in his own image.”
(12:15) Conradi: “He's almost behaved like a Russian fifth column within the EU.”
(15:20) Conradi: “He’s turned Hungary into a kind of a kleptocratic state where businessmen are enriched by being close to the regime.”
(15:54) Trump (via video): “I also want to pay a very special regard to...Viktor Orban, who’s a great man and highly respected by everybody. He’s done a brilliant job of leading and he’s a very, very special person.”
(18:32) Conradi: “You certainly can't be accused of being unpatriotic if your name actually means Hungarian.”
(22:49) Jones/Conradi: “Viktor Orban is not going down without a fight... there’s been some extraordinary dirty tricks... [including] a sex tape... and attempts to paint Magyar as an agent of the Ukrainians.”
(24:44) Conradi: “There have been cases... where people loyal to the regime will approach voters, give them a little mobile phone... take a photograph of the ballot slip with your tick beside Fidesz... and we'll give you money.”
(27:47) Conradi: “Once [the radical right] is in power, it’s not necessarily there forever.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:12–01:03: Why this election matters, the myth and transformation of Orban
02:15–05:17: Election campaign atmosphere, contrasts in rallies (Orban vs Magyar supporters)
06:04–09:30: Orban’s early career, ideological evolution
10:09–11:25: Authoritarian shift, control over media/judiciary, election fairness
11:25–14:02: Hungary’s role in EU, Ukraine war stance, Orban’s Russian ties
14:02–15:54: Economic cost at home, corruption, loss of EU funds, international alliances
16:36–17:49: Stakes if Orban is ousted, durability of “Orbanism”
18:32–22:19: Introduction of Péter Magyar, background, policy platform, campaign strategy
22:27–24:27: Campaign “dirty tricks”, sex tape scandal, Magyar’s response
24:44–25:46: Election fairness concerns, vote buying
26:06–27:53: What a Magyar win would mean for Hungary, Europe, and the global populist right

Tone & Takeaways

For further discussion or to share your thoughts, contact: thestory@thetimes.com

wavePod

Summary

The Story – The election that could change Hungary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Hungary’s Election Matters

2. Viktor Orban: Rise, Rule, and Transformation

3. Democracy or Authoritarianism?

4. Hungary's Controversial Stance in Europe

5. The Economic and Corruption Crisis

6. Orban’s International Influence and Populist Allies

7. Péter Magyar: The Challenger Who Could Topple Orban

8. Dirty Tricks and Election Fairness

9. If Orban Loses: National, Regional, and Global Impact

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Takeaways

Summary

The Story – The election that could change Hungary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Hungary’s Election Matters

2. Viktor Orban: Rise, Rule, and Transformation

3. Democracy or Authoritarianism?

4. Hungary's Controversial Stance in Europe

5. The Economic and Corruption Crisis

6. Orban’s International Influence and Populist Allies

7. Péter Magyar: The Challenger Who Could Topple Orban

8. Dirty Tricks and Election Fairness

9. If Orban Loses: National, Regional, and Global Impact

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Takeaways