“He bet on the wrong horse.” Gafa that can make Viktor Orbán lose the Hungarian support in Transylvania

The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, was convinced that George Simion, the far-right candidate, would win the presidential election in Romania, that he offered his tacit support. This, however, brought him a wave of dissatisfaction from the Hungarian community in Romania.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban/Photo: AFP

George Simion was defeated on Sunday, May 18, 2024, by the pro -European candidate Nicușor Dan. He won the presidential election and with the massive support of the Hungarians. In Harghita County, for example, he obtained the highest national score, over 90%.

Simion's support by Viktor Orbán has infuriated the Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, which has a million people, whose religious and political leaders have been afraid that Simion's victory is a threat to minority rights, according to AFP.

Since his return to power in 2010, Viktor Orbán has strengthened the connections with the influential diaspora, opening an easy way to Hungarian citizenship – and the right to vote.

He has also financed several projects, such as renovation of churches and schools, especially in the Transylvania region of Romania. His attempt to attract local voters, many of whom have dual citizenship, seems to have paid off. In 2022, over 90 % of the Hungarian ethnicities voted for Fidesz.

Why Viktor Orbán “bet on the wrong horse”

But Orbán's support for Simion put on wheels. “The threat of our minority rights has a priority to anything else – the division between left and right, what politicians say”said Szilard Simon from Harghita County, where Dan obtained the best national score with over 90 %.

“He bet on the wrong horse”, he added.

“Viktor Orbán seems to have thought that Simion cannot be defeated,” said the minorities expert Nandor Bardi from the Hun-Rren research center in Hungary.

So far seen by many as a “Carismatic visionary”, The image of Viktor Orbán a “Suffering a huge blow“He added.

Following a telephone conversation with the head of UDMR Hunor Kelemen, Viktor Orbán said he does not want to influence the presidential elections in Romania “In no way.”

Among the ethnic Hungarians “there is a general rejection of the recent movements of Viktor Orbán, ”said AFP Laszlo Tokes, a former European Fidesz deputy and a key figure in the 1989 Revolution in Romania.

He claimed that the Hungarian prime minister was “Too hurried“In taking someone's side.

Viktor Orbán is facing next year's elections, and political opponents are trying to capitalize on Simion's support. His main rival, the leader of the opposition Peter Magyar, protested last week compared to what he called the orbán betrayal of the Hungarian diaspora in Romania.

He also left in a march of 300 kilometers (186 miles) to Romania in protest.

“They also discovered the true face of Fidesz, that all they need are their votes – and otherwise they abandon them and drive them away“Said Magyar.