American-Polish historian Anne Applebaum made a particularly relevant comment following Viktor Orban’s election defeat, stating that illiberal governments can lose power even when they control all State institutions, including the judiciary. She said that Orban’s defeat has shattered the illusion that the far right will remain in power forever once it gains it.
Viktor Orban’s defeat is a defeat for the far-right ion Europe and also a defeat for Russia. However it is also a major pushback against politicians and governments with illiberal intentions across the political spectrum. By this measure, Vitkor Orban’s defeat is also inspiring and uplifting in Malta where the Opposition is fighting a government which is in a constant struggle, not to drive progress forward, but to capture state institutions and turn them into an extension of the Labour Party.
We are yet to see whether the far-right in Europe has peaked and as long as there are illiberal governments, there are still.Viktor Orban was only the figurehead of the European far-right because he was largely by himself and isolated with no countries in Europe taking his direction except for the exception of some smaller countries. The far-right still can very well come to power in the UK while in France and Spain the far-right are still capable of challenging the mainstream political parties. Russia still conducts covert and overt operations in support of it political proxies in Europe. From a wider European perspective, the fall of Viktor Orban is not a major and strategic defeat to the far-right in Europe, because Orban’s relevance was credited owing to his exceptionality and not due to his influence, which he had, little to none, abroad.
We still need to wait and see the exodus of the French and the UK elections to confirm whether the far-right in Europe has peaked, but the crashing popularity of President Donald Trump in the US with his own party-members and loyalists following the war in Iran, just like a flagship slowing down, may also be a telling sign that far-right is running out of steam. just as the flagship slows down.
One very important factor needs to be considered. Viktor Orban was amplified abroad, in Europe and the US, by Russian propaganda online and its useful idiots. Russia can apply the same playbook to any European leader who opts to become its servant. With Russia’s preferred tool in Europe out of government, the Kremlin will be making new plans.
Feature clip below of youths in Budapest at a concert against Viktor Orban before the elections.
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