Europe’s far-right leaders are set to unite in Budapest next week in support of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as he faces a highly competitive parliamentary election.
The event, described as the “first Patriotic Grand Assembly,” will feature prominent figures including Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini, Andrej Babiš, and Geert Wilders.
The rally comes just weeks before Hungary’s parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12, where Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party is trailing behind the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, in several opinion polls. Analysts describe the vote as the most serious challenge to Orbán’s 16-year rule.
Many of the participating leaders are members of Patriots for Europe, currently the third-largest political group in the European Parliament. They share common positions on strict immigration policies and a more skeptical stance toward the European Union.
Ádám Kavecsánszki, head of the Foundation for a Civic Hungary, which is organizing the event, stated that the gathering aims to demonstrate that “Europe still has leaders who stand with both Europe and its people.”
Meanwhile, a potential visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Hungary remains unconfirmed. Earlier this year, Trump indicated he might travel to Budapest during the election campaign, describing Orbán as a key ally and praising his leadership.
Trump has also previously suggested hosting a U.S.-Russia peace summit in Budapest to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine, though the proposal did not materialize due to Russia’s reluctance.
In parallel, Budapest is set to host the European edition of the Conservative Political Action Conference this week, a major gathering of conservative figures from the United States and Europe. However, no senior members of the current U.S. administration have been confirmed as speakers.
