Continuity Is Expected After Hungary's Elections

Hungary's general elections April 6 will probably result in a renewal of the ruling Fidesz party's mandate and are thus unlikely to produce significant political changes. Domestically, Fidesz will likely continue its main policy lines, which focus on a greater state presence in the economy, pressure on banks and utility companies and a weak forint to boost exports and economic growth. At the international level, Budapest will continue its strategy of selective confrontation with the European Union. The crisis in Crimea will make Hungary more open to negotiations with its European neighbors about deeper military cooperation, but the process will be slow because Hungary is not as anxious about Russia as other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.