Vance Backs Orbán in Budapest Days Before Hungary's Vote

Overview

• Vance, who met Viktor Orbán in Budapest on Tuesday, said Wednesday that Washington would not tell Hungarians how to vote and added he was there “to help him” in this election.
• He took part in a campaign rally with the prime minister and cast the trip as support ahead of the April 12 parliamentary vote.
• The vice president criticized the European Union for what he called interference and echoed Orbán’s claim about “elements” of Ukrainian intelligence trying to sway elections.
• Opposition leader Péter Magyar rejected foreign involvement, and Germany’s deputy spokesman said the timing “speaks for itself” about who is interfering.
• Independent polls cited by international outlets show Péter Magyar’s Tisza party leading by about 10 points, though pro‑government surveys put Fidesz ahead, and February remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio tied warmer U.S.–Hungary ties to Orbán’s reelection.