Friday, April 10, 2026

Can Viktor Orbán Lose Power after 16 Years in Charge of Hungary? | DW News

Apr 10, 2026 | Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could end Viktor Orbán’s 16 year grip on power. Once dominant, the nationalist prime minister is now trailing in opinion polls amid economic stagnation and growing frustration among voters. The election pits Orbán’s vision of a more authoritarian Hungary with closer ties to Russia against an opposition promising a return to a pro European course.

Zsuzsanna Végh, programme officer at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, explains why Orbán is suddenly vulnerable — and what the outcome could mean for Hungary’s democracy and its place in Europe.