Feb 19 • 15:53 UTC 🇸🇰 Slovakia Denník N

Hungarian campaign turns into a war scare: Orbán attacks Ukraine, Shell, and Erste (52 days until the elections)

The Hungarian-Ukraine conflict has escalated amidst election campaigning, with Prime Minister Orbán exploiting tensions to rally support.

The ongoing conflict between Hungary and Ukraine has recently intensified, becoming a focal point in Hungary's electoral discourse. The ruling party, Fidesz, has taken a stance against Ukraine, suggesting that the opposition, particularly the Tisza party, is in collusion with Ukraine to undermine Hungary's energy independence from Russian oil. This issue has gained traction as the disrupted oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline have prompted a critical reassessment of Hungary's energy sources and alliances.

Orbán’s government has consistently employed anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, framing the campaign around the narrative that Ukraine's actions threaten Hungary's national interests. Recently, billboards portraying Péter Magyar and European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen and Volodymyr Zelensky, suggest a betrayal of Hungarian financial interests, accentuating the framing of Ukrainian involvement as detrimental. This strategy is not new but has been amplified as tensions rise and elections approach, with a focus on rallying nationalistic sentiments among voters.

Surveys indicate that a significant portion of the Hungarian population is skeptical of the idea of an imminent war, showing that only about a quarter truly believes in the reliability of Orbán’s scare tactics. Additionally, the potential impact of smaller political parties on the upcoming elections adds a layer of unpredictability to the outcome, as they might influence voter behaviors in the shifting electoral landscape. Amidst this political maneuvering, the intertwining of energy politics and national security concerns is becoming increasingly pivotal in shaping Hungary's future policies and voter sentiments.

📡 Similar Coverage