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Right-wing leaders from across Europe have publicly endorsed Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, signaling the symbolic importance of Hungary’s upcoming elections for the broader far-right movement, even as Orbán trails in recent polls, Azernews reports via The Guardian.

A campaign video released this week features endorsements from prominent figures including Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini, France’s Marine Le Pen, and Germany’s Alice Weidel.

“We need Viktor Orbán in Europe,” Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), tells viewers in the video.

Le Pen, former leader of France’s National Rally, praised Orbán, noting that leaders like him are helping “the camp of patriots and defenders of nations and sovereign peoples achieve ever greater success in Europe.” Orbán has previously described Hungary as a “petri dish for illiberalism.”

Meloni highlighted shared values with Orbán, saying: “Together we stand for a Europe that respects national sovereignty and is proud of its cultural and religious roots.”

The show of support comes ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary elections on 12 April, following a year in which Orbán, the European Union’s longest-serving leader, drew criticism for attempts to ban Pride events and increase restrictions on independent media and NGOs.

Orbán, who has long faced criticism for weakening democratic institutions, eroding media freedom and undermining the rule of law, is facing an unprecedented challenge from a former top member of his own party, Péter Magyar.

As Hungarians grapple with economic stagnation, the rising cost of living and fraying social services, polls have suggested Orbán and his Fidesz party are trailing behind Magyar’s opposition Tisza party.

In response, Fidesz has sought to stress Orbán’s international connections, casting them as an asset for Hungary amid volatile and turbulent international conditions, according to Márton Bene, a political analyst at the TK Institute for Political Science in Budapest. “Something his opponent – as a political newcomer – simply does not have,” he said.

Magyar’s campaign, in contrast, has focused on domestic affairs, with pledges to stimulate the Hungarian economy by tackling corruption and unlocking billions of euros in frozen EU funds.

The election result is likely to hinge on how voters see these competing narratives and “whether they treat international challenges, or domestic governmental performance, as the election’s primary stake,” Bene said.

The campaign video includes a handful of references to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Orbán, the EU leader closest to Vladimir Putin, has repeatedly blocked efforts by Brussels to present a united front in support of Ukraine, leading some critics to refer to him as Putin’s Trojan horse in the EU.

The video shows leaders seemingly lauding these efforts, with Weidel noting that Orbán is “fighting for peace in Ukraine”, while Salvini says: “If you want peace, vote for Fidesz.”

Thank you for your support! @MorawieckiM, @RobSchneider, @GiorgiaMeloni, @predsednikrs, @MLP_officiel, @matteosalvinimi, @AndrejBabis, @JMilei, @Alice_Weidel, @Santi_ABASCAL, @netanyahu, @herbert_kickl pic.twitter.com/7JI021IgRq

— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) January 11, 2026