Over the past sixteen years, Hungary has transitioned into what is often described as an “electoral autocracy” under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, characterized by democratic backsliding: the systematic and ostensibly “legal” dismantling of institutional checks and balances. 

This process has been achieved through three main mechanisms: electoral engineering, media control, and legislative capture. 

Elections continue to take place but are increasingly unfair, heavily favouring the ruling Fidesz party. Since 2010, Fidesz has consolidated power through media capture, systemic gerrymandering, and changes to electoral laws, while formally maintaining electoral legitimacy. 

The Hungarian elections is considered a watershed moment for the country's democratic trajectory. For the first time in sixteen years, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces a significant challenge from Péter Magyar’s TISZA party, presenting a critical choice between continued autocratisation and potential democratic renewal. 

The outcome is likely to have far-reaching implications beyond Hungary. It may infleunce the European Union's geopolitical unity, its response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, its internal adherence to the rule of law, and the broader development of right-wing populism across the continent. 

In this event, we aim to disentangle the immediate and long-term implications of the outcome and reflect on its potential impact beyond Hungary’s borders.