US Vice President JD Vance has accused European leaders of blatantly interfering in Hungary’s upcoming election during a visit to the country to try to boost support for its embattled prime minister Viktor Orbán.
Shortly after arriving in Budapest, Vance told reporters that it was not his country that was meddling in the Hungarian election, but the rest of Europe.
“The bureaucrats in Brussels have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary,” he said.
“They have tried to drive up costs for Hungarian consumers, and they’ve done it all because they hate this guy.”
Polls suggest Orbán is likely to lose power after 16 years in office, with the opposition Tisza Party tracking to win Sunday’s parliamentary vote.
Orbán has also long enjoyed a favourable relationship with US President Donald Trump and the support of his administration.
At a joint rally in Budapest, Vance dialled in President Trump, who told the crowd over the loudspeaker: “I love that Viktor”.
Opposition leader Péter Magyar has addressed Vance’s visit, posting on social media: “This is our country. Hungarian history is not written in Washington.”
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