Viktor Orbán

Viktor Mihály Orbán (Hungarian: [ˈviktor ˈorbaːn] ; born 31 May 1963) is a Hungarian lawyer and politician who has been the 56th prime minister of Hungary since 2010, previously holding the office from 1998 to 2002. He has also led the Fidesz political party since 2003, and previously from 1993 to 2000. He was re-elected as prime minister in 2014, 2018, and 2022. On 29 November 2020, he became the country's longest-serving prime minister.

Orbán was first elected to the National Assembly in 1990 and led Fidesz's parliamentary group until 1993. During his first term as prime minister and head of the conservative coalition government, from 1998 to 2002, inflation and the fiscal deficit shrank, and Hungary joined NATO. After losing reelection, however, Orbán led the opposition party from 2002 to 2010.

Since 2010, when he resumed office, Hungary has experienced democratic backsliding, weakened judicial independence, increased corruption, and created new governmental agencies with stricter oversight of the press. During his second premiership since 2010, which has been called “the Orbán Regime” by his critics, several controversial constitutional and legislative reforms were made, including the 2013 amendments to the Constitution of Hungary. He is strongly critical of the European Union’s affirmation of gay marriage.

His government has been accused of kleptocracy. It has also been characterized as a hybrid regime, dominant-party system, and “mafia state”.