Hungary Chooses

On Sunday, 12 April, Hungarian voters head to the polls in one of the most closely watched elections in Europe. Will the country reaffirm its support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Fidesz, or choose a new political direction?

In the lead-up to this pivotal vote, the Danube Institute and Brussels Signal have joined forces to host a timely and focused pre-election discussion.

Program:

Master of Ceremonies: Melissa O’Sullivan, Deputy Director, Danube Institute

Remarks by:

• Patrick Egan, Founder & Publisher, Brussels Signal; Founder, Remedia Corp & Remedia Europe
• John O’Sullivan, President, Danube Institute
• Henry Olsen, Columnist, Brussels Signal; Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center; Host of the Conservative Crossroads Podcast & Beyond the Polls Podcast

Discussion:

• John Fund, Columnist, National Review; Contributor to Newsmax TV
• István Kiss, Executive Director, Danube Institute
• Ralph Schoellhammer, Columnist, Brussels Signal; Head of the Center for Applied History and International Relations Theory, MCC; Lecturer at Webster University Vienna
  Moderated by: Calum Nicholson, Director of Research, Danube Institute

Key topics to be discussed include:

• The geographic distribution of votes will be crucial. The opposition Tisza Party can run up big scores in the cities, but without winning a large majority of single-member districts it cannot form a government. 
• Hungary’s economic challenges will create a difficult environment for any administration - especially one that has governed as long as Prime Minister Orbán’s - which is why this race is projected to be far closer than in 2022. 
• Tactical voting by liberal voters could prove decisive. Will they support Tisza candidates in single-member districts while backing their preferred parties (such as DK or MKKP) on the proportional list? If so, a Tisza victory becomes considerably more likely.
• Late-campaign swings are common when voters confront an untested alternative to a long-serving government (see Reagan 1980 or Brexit 2016). If Hungarians truly want change, we could see a major late surge for Tisza. If the desire for stability prevails, Fidesz could once again outperform final polls, as it did in 2022.

Join us for an evening of insight and analysis dedicated exclusively to Hungary’s political landscape. Our speakers will examine the key issues shaping the election, the state of the political field, and what the outcome could mean for the country’s future.

Details:

Date & time: Thursday, 9 April, 2026, 5:30 P.M.
Venue: Lónyay-Hatvany Villa, 1 Csónak Street, 1015 Budapest (Entrance: Aranybástya Restaurant)
Gate opens at 5:00 P.M.
Language: English

Participation is free; however, due to limited seating, pre-registration is required by clicking the button below.