Orban Party Seeks Rule Change to Tilt Next Election, Report Says
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling party is reviewing a plan to boost the importance of the Hungarian diaspora vote in upcoming elections, which would significantly improve his chances of winning a fifth consecutive term, according to a Valasz Online report.
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A large number of ethnic Hungarians, many of whom are also Hungarian citizens, live outside the country’s modern borders. By creating new electoral districts in neighboring states, the new proposals would increase the clout of a strongly pro-government electorate, the independent news website reported Monday.
The plan to tweak the electoral rules comes after Peter Magyar and his upstart Tisza party came second in local and European Parliament elections in June, positioning it as the biggest threat to Orban’s rule in the 2026 parliamentary elections.
The prime minister extended citizenship to the diaspora in one of his first moves after returning to power in 2010. More than 90% of Hungarian citizens abroad voted for Fidesz in the last three parliamentary elections.
In Hungary’s mixed electoral system, 106 seats in parliament are decided in electoral districts and 93 from party lists. Hungarian citizens without prior residency in Hungary can currently only vote for the latter, meaning that they only have a limited impact on election results.
The government has repeatedly come under scrutiny from the European Union over the erosion of the rule of law, including frequent legislative changes that have helped cement Orban’s grip on power. The EU continues to withhold about €20 billion of funding to the central European country.
Neither the government nor the ruling Fidesz party responded to Bloomberg queries regarding the Valasz Online report.
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