Europe's far-right leaders greet Hungary's Orban on third-term win

Victor Orban will likely seize on the election results as vindication of his clashes with EU institutions over his hardline anti-immigration policies and rejection of the EU's refugee resettlement programme.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses the supporters after the announcement of the partial results of parliamentary election in Budapest, Hungary, on April 8, 2018.
Reuters

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses the supporters after the announcement of the partial results of parliamentary election in Budapest, Hungary, on April 8, 2018.

Hungary's anti-immigration populist premier Viktor Orban was set for a third straight term on Monday after a crushing election victory, delighting other nationalists but likely causing unease in some other EU members.

Orban will likely seize on the election results as vindication of his clashes with EU institutions over his hardline anti-immigration policies and rejection of the EU's refugee resettlement programme, as well as his moves to clamp down on civil society groups.

TRT World's Sara Firth has more on the story.

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Gyula Molnar, president of Hungary's main left-wing opposition party, the Socialist Party, tendered resignation after a crushing defeat by Orban's Fidesz party. 

But, greetings from Europe's far-right leaders poured in for Orban soon after his election victory.

Czech Reupublic

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis congratulated Orban on a "convincing" election victory, saying on Twitter he was looking forward to further cooperation.

Poland

Poland's deputy foreign minister and envoy to the European Union, Konrad Szymanski, described Orban's victory "a confirmation of Central Europe's emancipation policy." 

"Emancipation not directed at fighting anybody but at making Central Europe visible as a very constructive European and European Union partner," Szymanski told the private TVN-24 broadcaster.

France's Marine Le Pen

France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted her congratulations, saying the "reversal of values and mass immigration promoted by the EU has been rejected once again."

Dutch leader Geert Wilders

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders was also quick to welcome the "excellent result."

Other European leaders also congratulated Orban.

Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Orban, a German government spokesman said, adding that she would work with his new government despite differences on migration.

"As is customary after elections in Europe, the chancellor congratulated the election winner, prime minister Orban, on his success in the Hungarian parliamentary elections in a letter," government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

"It is quite obvious that there are also controversial issues in our cooperation, the different stances in migration policy come to mind," Seibert added. 

European Commission

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will write to the Hungarian prime minister to congratulate him on his election victory.

"The people of Hungary have voted yesterday and the European Union is a union of democracy and values," a spokesman for the EU executive told a regular press briefing.

"President Juncker and the Commission feel that defending these principles and defending these values is the common duty of all member states with no exception."

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