Hungary's Orban Faces Defeat: EU Hopes for Change in Crucial Elections

• Many in the EU hope for the defeat of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Hungary's April 12 elections, seeing him as a threat to the bloc's future.
• Orban, the EU's longest-serving leader, has used his veto power and understanding of funding mechanisms to entrench power and block decisions, frustrating other members.
• His rival, Peter Magyar, has pledged to repair Hungary's relationship with the EU if elected.
• The EU has frozen billions in funds to Budapest since 2022 due to breaches of rule-of-law standards, including judicial independence and media freedom.
• Orban's actions have led to calls for EU treaty reforms to prevent future authoritarians from exploiting the unanimity rule.