PRAGUE, April 11 – Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis threw his support behind Hungarian leader Viktor Orban on Saturday, endorsing him just one day before Hungary’s crucial parliamentary election and calling him the ideal candidate for Hungarian interests during these uncertain times.
Current polling suggests Orban, a nationalist leader known for his conflicts with European Union officials and cordial relationship with Russia, faces potential defeat after serving 16 years in office. His main challenger is Peter Magyar, a former political ally who now leads the opposition.
“Supporting Viktor Orban this Sunday. He has always fought for a stronger Europe, one built on peace, sovereign nations, sovereign member states, competitiveness,” Babis wrote on the social media platform X on Saturday.
“In turbulent times, choosing stability and proven leadership matters more than ever,” he added.
The Czech leader, who made his fortune as a businessman and billionaire, has undergone a political transformation from supporting liberal, pro-European Union policies to becoming a strong ally of Orban. Both politicians now work together in the Patriots for Europe group within the European Parliament.
After regaining power last year following a period in opposition, Babis has significantly reduced Czech Republic’s financial assistance to Ukraine and declined to join the European Union’s massive 90 billion euro ($105.47 billion) lending package for Kyiv.
Despite these policy shifts, the Czech Republic maintains a more conventional stance toward Russia compared to Hungary and Slovakia.
Babis leads a coalition government that includes a far-right party opposed to NATO membership. His administration is working to overturn the EU’s environmental decarbonization initiatives and developing new laws to restructure public broadcasting while increasing government oversight of non-governmental organizations.
Critics argue these proposed changes mirror similar reforms implemented in Hungary and Slovakia that have weakened democratic institutions and standards.
