Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is 14 years old in power the most senior head of government in the EU and a reference for the international extreme rightaccused of undermining democracy by its critics and hailed by those who support its “illiberal” model.

As he took office on Monday, July 1, the rotating and semi-annual presidency of the European Union ((EU), Orbán is the most isolated leader among the Twenty-Seven because of his positions close to the Kremlin and his refusal to support Ukraine in defending itself from Russian aggression.

Since coming to power in 2010, his conservative Fidesz party has governed with more than two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, allowing it to adopt laws and legal reforms. without having to seek the support of the opposition. Orbán’s “conservative revolution”, announced upon coming to power, meant a turn towards a centralizing regime, which claims to reject traditional political liberalism and claims to defend conservative, Christian and traditionalist values.

The model that he calls ‘illiberal’, intolerant of immigration and against allowing gay marriage, is well regarded by other ultra-nationalist formations in Europe and the rest of the world, many of which call themselves ‘sovereignists’. With regard to the EU, this translates into positions against the deepening of European integration and in favour of countries regaining their powersin exchange for reducing the powers of Brussels.

His criticized position on Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine almost two and a half years ago, Orbán, 61, has frequently criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while he has been more even-tempered towards the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. The Hungarian leader accuses Kyiv of not respecting the rights of the Magyar minority living in Ukraine, while at the same time it has managed to stay out of NATO aid for Ukraine despite Hungary being a member country of the Atlantic Alliance.

Since having to leave the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament in 2021, for not sharing the values ​​of that fractionOrbán’s party, Fidesz, is trying to join some of the more right-wing groups. But both the European Conservatives and Reformists and the Identity and Democracy group have so far refused to accept Fidesz because of its pro-Russian policies.

Critic of Brussels, the prime minister assures that he only defends the sovereignty of his country against the EU’s attempts to impose “gender and immigration policies“. Therefore, the fight against immigration will be one of the top priorities of Orbán’s European presidency, which will end on December 31.

The young Orbán was one of the leading figures of the new democratic Hungary at the beginning of the democratic transition from 1989. He was Prime Minister in a first term, between 1998 and 2002, when he lost the elections against all odds against the socialists, who were then in power until 2010.

During his 14 years in power, Orbán has not only reformed the country to his liking but his closest circle, including some family members and childhood friends, has become enormously richhis critics denounce.