Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 12, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Polls open in closely watched Hungarian elections that could end Orban’s 16-year rule
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses supporters during his campaign closing rally at Buda Castle in Budapest on April 11, 2026, on the eve of the general election in Hungary. (Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
Hungarians begin voting in closely watched crunch parliamentary elections that could end nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s 16-year stint in power as a self-described “thorn” in the European Union’s side.
Polling booths opened at 6:00 am local time (0400 GMT), according to AFP journalists. They will close at 7:00 pm.
Opinion polls suggest that the party of pro-European conservative Peter Magyar — who has promised a “system change” — is running well ahead of that of Orban.
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