Orban claims there is a conspiracy to remove him from power, Hungarian calls on citizens not to succumb to provocations

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, at a time when forecasts suggest that the ruling Fidesz party could lose in Sunday's elections, dramatically said that the opposition is "conspiring with foreign intelligence services" to remove him from power, media in the European Union (EU) are reporting.

Orban accused his rivals in the election of "stopping at nothing to seize power," claiming that they were "threatening violence and false accusations of fraud set up before the elections."

Although Orban received strong support from United States (US) President Donald Trump, who said: "Hungarians, vote for Viktor Orban, because he is a true friend and a fighter who wins," most European media and analysts believe that the opposition led by Peter Magyars will win the elections.

The French daily "Le Monde" assesses that "Hungarians are fed up with Orban", and that "the reasons for dissatisfaction are inflation exceeding 40 percent, a stagnant economy, the halt in the payment of 18 billion euros from European funds (due to violations of the rule of law), and widespread general corruption, which also discourages foreign investors."

The Brussels portal "Politiko" states that "the fall from power of the Hungarian prime minister would cause a real earthquake in the EU, but the same earthquake would be his surprising survival in power."

Orban's Fidesz party is ten percentage points behind Peter Magyars' Tisza party, but Hungary's complex electoral system does not guarantee that victory would automatically bring a majority of parliamentary seats, according to Politiko.

The Brussels portal adds that most analysts still believe that the opposition will win, although it is unlikely to win two-thirds of the parliamentary seats, which, as it is noted, "would only allow the dismantling of the system of government that Orban has so far implemented."

The Brussels website "Euraktiv" indicates that the Hungarian opposition leader is also helped by the revealed scandals about attempts by Orban's people to penetrate the internet system of the Hungarian party Tisza, as well as accusations by an influential businessman linked to Fidesz of various frauds and the position that "the regime must change."

Orban is in conflict with EU governments and institutions over his refusal to approve money for European support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, and claims that "Brussels bureaucrats" are pushing Hungarians and that they are dying in the war with Ukraine.

The fact is that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acted extremely badly when he claimed, and has not yet proven, that the supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia was interrupted due to damage to the oil pipeline in a Russian drone strike, and especially when he threatened to attack Orban and his family.

The scandal revealed in the transcript of a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the Hungarian Prime Minister tells the Russian president that he "can help him on every level" and "I am at your service", has had a particularly bad impact on Orban.

Orban once said this to Putin, proposing a meeting between the Russian and American presidents in Budapest, as revealed by the American media outlet Bloomberg.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not deny this, but said that "it is clear that by publishing such things, those who oppose Orban politically want to harm him."

European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho said that "these revelations are alarming, as they indicate that the authorities of some EU member states may be cooperating with Russia, or actively working to the detriment of the security and interests of the EU and its citizens, and EU governments must urgently consider this."

Orban calls on his supporters to mobilize ahead of the elections, opposition retaliates

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban issued a call for mobilization to his supporters today at the end of his election campaign, praising the achievements of his government over the past 16 years and warning them that a change of government would be a threat to everything they have built together.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar made the appeal today, urging his compatriots not to succumb to provocations and that nothing the authorities can do, or say, can change the fact that the opposition party will win.

Hungary's parliamentary elections on Sunday, in which Orban is seeking a fifth term, are expected to be very close. His conservative and pro-European rival, Peter Magyar, is leading in the polls.

Orban took to Facebook today to denounce his opponents for conspiring against him to cause chaos. He accused his opponents of an organized attempt to use the chaos to question his party's election results, accusations that opposition leader Peter Magyar then leveled at him, French media reported.

"They are conspiring with foreign intelligence services, they will stop at nothing to seize power," Orban said on Facebook today, condemning threats of violence against his supporters and fabricated accusations of election fraud, as well as pre-organized demonstrations even before the vote count.

Peter the Hungarian, who is leading, according to independent polls, responded by asking his compatriots not to succumb to any provocation and to remain calm, and called on Orban to accept the verdict of the Hungarian people with the calmness and dignity that befits him.

"A series of ongoing electoral frauds, carried out for months by the ruling Fidesz party, as well as criminal activity, intelligence operations, disinformation and fake news cannot change the fact that Tisa (Hungarian party) will win these elections," the Hungarian said on Facebook.

In a video posted on Facebook last night, Orban repeated his usual allegations of interference and collusion by foreign intelligence services, claiming that there was an organized attempt to question the decision of the Hungarian people.

As the Guardian reports, Orban, with heightened sensitivity, urged voters to talk to their families, friends, and acquaintances and tell them that the stakes are high and that change is dangerous.

"This is not a time for division, anger or hatred. Hungary needs cooperation, unity and security," Orban said.