Putin in Trouble as New Polling Data Predicts Devastating losses for Hungary’s Russian-Backed Orbán Regime
Vladimir Putin’s grip on Europe is slipping — and the next blow may come from one of his oldest allies. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, long seen as the Kremlin’s most reliable friend inside the European Union, is facing a potential political reckoning.
A new poll released on June 18 by the Median institute, published in HVG, shows the opposition Tisza Party, led by former Orbán loyalist Péter Magyar, surging to 51% support among decided voters, a staggering 15-point lead over Fidesz, now languishing at 36%. Just three months ago, Tisza’s lead was nine points. Now, the numbers point toward something far more dangerous for the ruling regime: a collapse in public confidence ahead of Hungary’s pivotal 2026 parliamentary elections.
Magyar, a former government insider turned fierce critic, has transformed into a political phenomenon. Blending anti-corruption messaging with slick social media tactics and relentless grassroots organizing, he has captured a rising wave of discontent — particularly among younger Hungarians, 58% of whom now back Tisza. In contrast, Fidesz is rapidly becoming the party of the past: older, stagnant, and ideologically adrift.
Hungary’s economy has stalled, weighed down by high inflation, sluggish industrial output, and fears of looming U.S. tariffs on EU goods. But it’s not just economics fueling the backlash. Orbán’s increasingly authoritarian behavior — scrapping campaign finance limits, targeting dual citizens through constitutional amendments, and flooding the internet with taxpayer-funded propaganda — has alienated even many conservatives. His much-touted “Fighters’ Club,” a last-ditch effort to rival Tisza’s online dominance, has flopped.
Worse still for Orbán, his alliance with Russia has become a political liability. He has openly resisted EU sanctions against Moscow, nurtured energy ties with the Kremlin, and frequently echoed Russian propaganda lines. Tisza has seized on this, presenting itself as a pro-European, anti-Putin force — and voters are responding.
The Median poll not only shows a surge in support, but a profound psychological shift: a majority of voters now believe Tisza will win in 2026.
That perception could become self-fulfilling in a system long warped by Fidesz’s gerrymandering. Analysts say Tisza’s current lead might even deliver a two-thirds supermajority, allowing them to rewrite Orbán’s carefully fortified constitutional architecture.
While Fidesz still enjoys support from the Hungarian diaspora in places like Transylvania, its domestic base is crumbling. And with it, Russia’s most reliable proxy in the EU is on the verge of collapse.
If Orbán falls, Putin loses his loudest voice inside Europe’s institutions — a loyal spoiler who vetoed sanctions, blocked military aid, and undermined EU unity from within.
What’s happening in Hungary is more than a political upset. It’s a strategic rupture that could break Russia’s influence in Brussels and mark the beginning of the end for Putin’s fading empire of allies.
