Hungary extends state of emergency ahead of upcoming elections

Hungary’s parliament has voted to extend the nation’s state of emergency by 180 days, ensuring that the upcoming elections will be held under the special legal regime that grants Prime Minister Viktor Orbán broad powers to govern by decree.

The extension will keep emergency rule in place until May 14, 2026, with Orbán indicating that the next national election is likely to be held as early as April. The country’s president is expected to announce the exact date early next year, Caliber.Az reports via Bloomberg. 

Prime Minister Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party is currently trailing the opposition Tisza party, led by former regime insider Péter Magyar. Polls show Tisza holding a double-digit lead in some regions, fueled by public dissatisfaction amid a cost-of-living crisis and allegations of widespread corruption undermining the premier’s nationalist appeal.

Under the state of emergency, the government has the authority to suspend fundamental rights, including the right to protest. However, officials have insisted that this special legal status will not influence the electoral process.

Last year, municipal and European Parliament elections were also held under emergency rule, where the Tisza party made significant gains, coming second even in traditional Fidesz strongholds.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Orbán has governed under a continuous state of emergency, allowing him to bypass normal parliamentary procedures despite his party’s long-standing two-thirds majority.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Hungarian government cited regional security concerns as justification for maintaining the decree-based governance.

By Sabina Mammadli