Hungary goes to election that could unseat Orban

Budapest: Hungarians cast ballots on Sunday in a poll seen as Europe’s consequential poll, that could unseat populist PM Viktor Orban, an ally of US President Trump, after 16 years in power.

It’s a key moment for Orban, the EU’s longest-serving leader and one of its biggest antagonists, who has travelled a long road from his early days as a liberal, anti-Soviet firebrand to the Russia-friendly nationalist admired today by the global far-right. 

Polls opened at 6am and were to close at 7pm. Orban and his top challenger Peter Magyar arrived at separate booths in Budapest at the same time to cast their votes.

Orban, 62, said the campaign had been “a great nat­io­nal moment on our side” and thanked activists and suppor­ters, saying. “I’m here to win.”

Meanwhile, voters in Benin cast ballots to choose a successor to President Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after a decade in power. Further, a former minister, a comedian and a dynasty heiress are among the 35 candidates hoping to become Peru’s 9th president in 10 years. Sunday’s poll took place during a surge in crime and corruption, fuelling widespread discontent among voters.