ASSESSMENTS

Hungary's Far Right Gains Ground in Elections

Apr 9, 2014 | 10:03 GMT

Hungary's Far Right Gains Ground in Elections
Chairman of the far-right Jobbik party Gabor Vona (C) in Budapest on April 6.

(ETER KOHALMI/AFP/Getty Images)

Summary

The strong performance of Hungary's far-right Jobbik party in the country's April 6 parliamentary elections presents a challenge both for the ruling Fidesz party and for the European Union. Jobbik's popularity puts pressure on Fidesz to appeal more to far-right constituencies, and the rise of a viable Central European far-right political party will test the willingness of other European countries to continue sidelining extreme-right groups as illegitimate political actors. 

However, despite the party's popularity in Hungary, European governments, as well as other far-right parties, will continue to isolate Jobbik, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government will be forced to balance domestic pressure to offer concessions to the far-right with international imperatives to comply with European rules.

The Jobbik party's strong showing will create tension between the government and the European Union....

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