Viktor Orbán He did not lose the Hungarian elections last Sunday because his policies were too radical or right-wing for his voters. The winning candidate, the right-wing Peter Magyar, shares part of their positions, even softened. Orbán was basically fired for the bad economic situation of the country under its nationalist recipes, for the corruption prevailing after his 16 consecutive years in power and for his attempts to control of all the resources of the Statefrom the media to the judges.
And yet his defeat has weakened the radical right international, formed by a series of nationalist and ultra-conservative parties, which relied on conferences, think tanks or support and financing networks in which Orbán’s Hungary was key. And that the support of the world’s leading power is not synonymous with victory.
“There is clearly a slowdown of the international extreme right. The European parties of the movement have been caught off guard by two events: the weeks of threats of Donald Trump on Greenland and, above all, the iran war“Guillermo Fernández, doctor in Political Science from the Carlos III University and specialist in European radical right, explains to EL PERIÓDICO. “The United States bet everything on Orbán and lost. It is thus clear that the levers of Trump and the far-right international are not infallible. It seemed that all the electoral processes lately were a triumphant ride, that there was a historical mechanics which made them always do well, winning or growing electorally. “That inertia has been broken.”
The “gafe” by JD Vance
In the White House National Security Strategy The political roadmap of the United States towards Europe was established a few months ago. The new Administration would support the European “patriotic” parties, to avoid what Washington considers a decline of the Old Continent, harassed by a alleged migratory invasion and a authoritarian control of their governments. That translated into President Trump’s full support for Orbán.
US Vice President JD Vance during a recent event in Budapest. / Europa Press/Contact/Beata Zawrzel
First he sent his Secretary of State, Marco Rubiowho expressed his defense of Orbán as a counter-current figure in the EU. Then he sent his vice president, J.D. Vanceto the last big campaign rally. Vance charged harshly against the “bureaucrats” of Brussels and its alleged campaign to ruin Hungary. Even Trump intervened by surprise by phone before a crowd that received him with applause.
It didn’t help at all. Orbán’s defeat was overwhelming and his rival, the also conservative but pro-European Péter Magyar, won more than two-thirds of Parliament, so it is foreseeable that he will undo part of Orbán’s Fidesz reforms.
Conservative Action Political Conference
The outgoing Hungarian prime minister tried everything to recover in the polls. He brought forward three months, to March 21, the meeting of the Conservative Action Political Conference (CPAC)in order to receive the support of other leaders of their ideological line.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the MTK Sportpark in Budapest, Hungary, on March 21, 2026. / ZOLTAN FISCHER / EFE
Of the great figures of the movement, only Alice Weidel (Germany, AfD), Santiago Abascal (Vox), Javier Miley (president of Argentina) and Irakli Kobakhidze (Prime Minister of Georgia), among others. Trump was not in Budapest, but sent a video message.
Three blows to the far-right international
“I think Orbán’s fall is a hard blow organizational, financial and political for the European extreme right,” explains Guillermo Fernández.
To begin with, in symbolic. Orbán and his Hungary were a benchmark. Santiago Abascal put Hungary as his model for Spain. In Budapest, the leader of Vox said that the streets of the Central European country “They are the envy of all of Europe” and contrasted them with a Spain that was “increasingly more insecure.” He also presented Orbán as “the true protector of Europe.”
Trumpfor his part, has praised the Hungarian politician as a country and policy modelespecially with regard to the immigrationto the fight against ‘woke’ (the identity politics of a certain left) or the collectives LGTBI+.
The second blow is that the ultraconservatives lose a lot weight in Brussels. Orbán has been the dissenting voice in the European Union for a decade and a half and has vetoed or transformed policies that he considers too progressive or anti-Russian. The inherent power of the European Parliament group is also diminished Patriots for Europeformed mainly by Orbán’s Fidesz, Weidel’s Alternative for Germany and Abascal’s Vox, which presides.
Finally, the fall of Orbán is a serious blow at the level of infrastructure and organization of the far-right international. Orbán has created a network of universities, like the Danube Institute or the Mathias Corvinus College of Budapest, or think tanks like the Center for Fundamental Rightswhich is organized by CPAC Hungary with the motto ‘God, Country, Family’ and has two offices, one in Budapest and the other in Madridin the heart of the Salamanca neighborhood.
“They play a very important role in all this internationalization of the extreme right, much greater than that which would correspond to a small country of nine million inhabitants and greater than that of the AfD or National Group,” adds Fernández. “Most of the events organized by the Dissent FoundationVox’s ‘think tank’, co-organises them with Orbán’s Center for Fundamental Rights. When the Madrid Forum and Disenso hold events in Latin America, or in the Iberosphereusually participate in that Hungarian ‘think tank’. In all this internationalization of the extreme right they play a very important role. There is also a Young Leaders of the Iberosphere program, a scholarship program for people with aspirations in Latin America. From a financial point of view, the latest Vox campaigns have been financed by a Hungarian bank with state participation.”
Peru’s far-right candidate falls
The main victory in Latin America was the presidency obtained by the ultraconservative candidate José Antonio Kast in Chile. However, the movement has taken a hit in Peru. Rafael Lopez Aliagathe candidate supported by the Madrid Forum and Patriotas, has not managed to advance to the second round of the presidential elections. Former mayor of Lima, he was in Madrid at Vox’s Viva 25 in September.
Beyond electoral issues, the far right is beginning to show cracks due to Donald Trump’s anti-European and militaristic policies. National Group of France criticized the intervention in Venezuela that ended with the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, and charged against Trump’s threats to invade Greenland or, more recently, against the war against Iran. An Alternative for Germany leader has even talked about removing US bases from the country.
But the most significant friction, without a doubt, has been between the Italian Giorgia Meloni and Trump. The prime minister banned the use of sicily base to the American planes bombing Iran. Now he has had a clash with the American president after his attacks on Pope Leo XIV.
2026, key year for the extreme right
In the coming months there are a whole series of elections that could set the tone for the global far-right.
The first appointment, and the most important, will be the one of the November midterm elections in the United Stateswhere it will be seen if Trump is as weak as the polls indicate, which give him a minimum popularity of 33%.
In 2026 there is presidential elections in Colombia, where the current president, Gustavo Petro, will confront the right María Fernanda Cabal. Also next year the extreme right could win the jackpot: the presidency of Franceif the polls continue to favor Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and led by Jordan Bardella.
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