WASHINGTON — The big election over the weekend was in a small European country nearly half a world away from Washington, but the defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has significant reverberations in the United States.

That’s because President Donald Trump and many U.S. conservatives have long embraced Orbán, who has become an icon among the global right for his anti-immigrant stance. The American president’s agenda has striking parallels with the way the Hungarian leader used the levers of government to tilt the media, judiciary and electoral system to keep his party in power for 16 years.

Trump supported Orbán’s reelection bid and even dispatched Vice President JD Vance to Budapest last week — in the midst of the Iran war — to stump for the incumbent.

Orbán’s loss was a reminder of how the war has diminished Trump’s ability to help allied politicians overseas, as well as of the limited ability of leaders to use their power to tilt voting in their direction in an age of worldwide discontent over incumbents of all ideological stripes.

“Oppositions can win despite a tilted playing field,” said Steven Levitsky, a politics professor at Harvard and coauthor of the book “How Democracies Die.” “Democracies are facing many challenges in many parts of the world, but so are autocracies.”

Orbán’s defeat has immediate global implications because he was the European leader closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin and had blocked European Union aid to Ukraine, which is defending itself after Russian’s 2022 invasion.

His fall was celebrated on Sunday by both Democrats and Republicans, some of whom criticized their own administration for such overt support for the Hungarian leader.

“Don’t fiddle-paddle in other democracies’ elections,” Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said on the social media site X.

“The freedom-loving people of Hungary have voted decisively in favor of democracy and the rule of law,” posted Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi.

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, is part of the wing of the American right that embraced Orbán. The Conservative Political Action Conference, which Schlapp’s group hosts, held its first European session in Budapest and has made Hungary a regular destination.

Orban was a featured speaker at the group’s conference in Dallas in 2022.

Schlapp said there’s an easy explanation for Orbán’s loss.

“Eventually, democracies just want change,” he said. “In democracies, you don’t have kings, and the people in the end speak.”

“The people of Hungary were saying, ‘We’re having a difficult time with inflation, the economy and the war. Let’s try the new guy,’” Schlapp said, noting that he backs Trump’s Iran war but the turmoil it’s created, especially in European energy markets, hurt Orbán.

Diana Sosoaca, a far-right member of the European Parliament from Romania, on Sunday called Vance’s Hungarian visit “a big mistake” given widespread revulsion at the Iran war on the continent.

“You invite a representative of the United States of America, who created the big disorder in this world?” Sosoaca said in an interview posted by the Kremlin-controlled network RT, formerly known as Russia Today. “It was the biggest mistake he could do before the elections.”

An anti-communist activist in his youth, Orbán was initially elected prime minister in 1998 but took a turn to the right after being voted out in 2002. Upon returning to office in 2010, Orbán and his Fidesz party implemented a legal framework to consolidate authority that he and his allies developed while he was out of power.

Orbán embraced what he dubbed “illiberal democracy,” building a barrier on Hungary’s southern border to block migrants from Africa and Asia who were moving northward through Europe. He and his party stifled LGBTQ+ rights, cracked down on freedom of the press and undermined judicial independence.

Orbán cemented his power when his Fidesz party won enough seats in Parliament during the 2010 global recession to rewrite the country’s constitution. They restructured the judiciary to funnel appointments to the bench through party loyalists, redrew legislative districts to make it much harder for Fidesz members to lose elections and helped push Hungary’s media companies to be sold to tycoons allied with Orban.

The European Union has declared Hungary an “electoral autocracy.”

Orbán backers have scoffed at suggestions that the Hungarian leader is an enemy of democracy, and on Sunday he quickly conceded his loss. Democrats have worried that Trump will try to use his own executive power to tilt November’s midterm elections or the 2028 presidential vote to his party, much as Trump tried to use his official powers to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 presidential election.

“Most importantly for American voters, even a guy who rigs the system can be defeated when the people unite and turn out against him,” said Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan group that says it combats authoritarianism.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California took the opportunity to jab at Vance: “Your ally Orban conceded. In 2028, will you @JDVance follow suit if you lose?” he posted on X.

Levitsky said defenders of democracy shouldn’t take too much comfort from Orbán’s loss, noting that in some ways Trump has been more oppressive. He cited Trump’s use of the Justice Department to investigate political opponents and the shooting deaths of protesters by immigration officers — steps that Orban’s government never took, Levitsky said.

But Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, said he sees parallels between Trump’s and Orban’s political projects, as well as the potential fate of their parties at the polls.

“He was essentially doing what Donald Trump is trying to do here in the United States,” Van Hollen said of Orban. “My read of the election is that the people of Hungary rejected that, just like people in the United States are rejecting that here at home.”

Trump made no public comments Sunday about the election results in Hungary.

___

Riccardi reported from Denver.

The US and Iran both claimed victory after reaching a fragile ceasefire, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries.

The US president said he was suspending his threats if Iran agreed to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway.

Tehran has already proposed a 10-point plan that provided ‘a workable basis on which to negotiate’, but the agreement is already hitting roadblocks.

Iran also appears to have closed the Strait of Hormuz, after US leaders claimed it had been reopened as part of the ceasefire.

Key issues for both nations remain unresolved, including the scope of the truce, Iran’s rights to nuclear enrichment and ballistic missiles, as well as access to the Strait of Hormuz.

Dr Katayoun Shahandeh, of SOAS, University of London, told Metro the ceasefire is more fragile than it is secure.

‘It may hold in the very short term because all sides have reasons to pause, but it is not yet a stable settlement,’ she said.

Why did Israel attack Lebanon, and is it a breach of the ceasefire?

The elephant in the room is the continued Israeli strikes into Lebanon.

Israel has intensified attacks in Lebanon, killing at least 182 people in the highest single-day death toll in the Israel-Hezbollah war, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

‘There seem to be conflicting messages over whether Lebanon is covered, which is exactly the kind of ambiguity that can unravel a deal fast. There is also a growing divergence between U.S. and Israeli objectives,’ Dr Shahandeh said.

Washington has declared the ceasefire as a ‘victory’, Dr Shahandeh said, but Israel’s current posture points towards a continued military campaign, rather than a diplomatic resolution.

‘There is a real fear that this is not peace so much as a pause, as it is a chance for Washington and its allies to regroup and, if talks fail, strike harder. That may not be the stated intention, but it is one plausible reading of a ceasefire whose terms remain contested and whose basic points of agreement still seem very far apart,’ she said.

‘Already, it does not look as though all sides are fully adhering to it.’

What happens if the ceasefire conditions are broken?

If the ceasefire is broken, Trump would have a few options – but would likely begin with escalation in strikes and potentially putting US troops on the ground in Iran.

‘Trump has said U.S. military ships and aircraft will remain around Iran and that if Tehran does not comply, the “shootin’ starts” again,’ Dr Shahandeh explained.

‘The most likely U.S. response would be renewed strikes, more coercive pressure over Hormuz, and an attempt to force Iran into harsher terms from a position of overwhelming military superiority. But that would deepen the bind he is already in: walking away risks looking weak, while escalating further risks a more unpopular and expensive war.’

Dr Bamo Nouri, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, told Metro: ‘If it breaks, Trump has already signalled a return to coercive escalation – maintaining US forces in the region, increasing military pressure, and potentially authorising further strikes to restore deterrence.

Iran’s options if the ceasefire is broken are different. Despite sustaining heavy damage, the country has retained power over the Strait of Hormuz and could easily resume missile and drone attacks and pressure on global shipping.

As for Israel, the option is to continue its air strikes in both Iran and Lebanon if it believes the ceasefire to be broken.

‘Israel, for its part, is likely to be the least patient actor, having already signalled readiness to resume high-intensity operations if it judges the ceasefire to be constraining its strategic objectives,’ Dr Nouri said.

Despite agreeing to suspend its bombing campaign in Iran, the US and Israel differ on their positions as to whether the ceasefire stretches to Lebanon, where Israel argues it is striking Iranian-backed Hezbollah groups.

‘Israel agreed to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran, but that U.S. and Israeli positions differ sharply from Iran’s (and Pakistan who brokered the deal) over whether Lebanon is part of the ceasefire framework.

‘That means Israel could become the most immediate trigger for collapse if it continues treating other theatres as separate while Iran treats them as linked,’ Dr Shahandeh said.

What happens next?

It’s hard to say. Iran, Israel and the United States are not operating from a shared understanding of what’s been agreed in the ceasefire agreement.

Dr Nouri explained: ‘The US frames it around limiting Iran’s nuclear activity and securing maritime stability in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran insists on its enrichment rights and links the deal to broader regional conditions, including Israeli operations in Lebanon.’

In order for the ceasefire to hold, the three countries must quickly clarify terms to stop any misunderstandings.

‘Without a quickly accepted framework, this ceasefire becomes a short-lived bargaining interval rather than a stable resolution, with all sides already preparing for renewed escalation,’ Dr Nouri said.

Dr Shahandeh believes three things need to happen for the ceasefire to hold.

‘The parties need clear written terms, not just public declarations: what is covered geographically, what counts as a violation, and who verifies compliance,’ she said.

‘Second, there has to be a practical de-escalation mechanism around Hormuz, because Reuters reports there is still little sign that the Strait is operating normally, and Iran is still asserting control there.

‘Third, the ceasefire must become a political process, not just a pause in bombing. The ceasefire can hold, but only as a bridge to a more detailed agreement. If it remains vague, it is unlikely to last.’

Oil prices fell sharply Wednesday morning amid news Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of its two-week-long ceasefire with the United States.

But when that will translate to price drops at Canadian gas pumps remains unclear as shipping companies scramble to get their products to market.

Benchmark U.S. crude sank US$16.47 to US$96.48 a barrel Wednesday morning; Brent crude, the international standard, dropped US$13.79 to US$95.48 a barrel.

The national average for regular, unleaded gas in Canada was $1.82.4 per litre Wednesday morning – an increase of two cents from Tuesday, CAA data showed.

The drops reversed some of the rise in oil prices, following the start of the war in late February, which had effectively blocked passage through the strait that’s a crucial route for global supplies.

Late Tuesday, Trump said he was holding off on his threatened attacks on Iranian bridges, power plants and other civilian targets. Iran’s foreign minister said passage through the strait would be allowed for the next two weeks under Iranian military management.

Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, told The Associated Press the development has sparked “cautious optimism” rather than “outright celebration.”

“The ceasefire is only two weeks long, and markets will be watching closely to see whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes as promised and whether the fragile truce can pave the way for a more durable peace agreement,” he added.

1:51
Canadian farmers face soaring diesel, fertilizer costs amid Iran war

Trump acknowledged late Tuesday a 10-point proposal from Iran on ending the war, which he called “a workable basis on which to negotiate” a long-term peace deal despite rejecting it a day earlier. Iran’s clauses included an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of sanctions and reconstruction.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday that Israel backed the U.S. ceasefire with Iran but that the deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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His office said Israel also supports U.S. efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses a nuclear or missile threat.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his deadline of 8 p.m. Eastern to agree to a deal with the U.S. and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning, 12 hours ahead of his deadline.

However, he added that there was potential for something “wonderful” to happen in Tehran.

“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” he added.

1:21
Carney urges ‘all parties’ in Iran war to ‘respect international laws’

Iranian officials had vowed “an unforgettable hit” and “immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures” if Trump carried through with his threats. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took to social media on Tuesday to announce that he had registered for military service, along with 14 million Iranians.

Pakistan, which was working towards mediating a ceasefire, urged Trump to extend his deadline and Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s threat against Iran’s civilization came after he vowed to bomb every Iranian power plant and bridge over the weekend unless Iran, and dismissed concerns that such actions could amount to a war crime.

Volker Türk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, called Trump’s latest threats “sickening” in a statement.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Canada “expects all parties in this conflict” to respect international law.

“That means not targeting, certainly, civilians or civilian infrastructure. And we urge all parties in this war to follow those responsibilities as a point we’ve made publicly and privately,” he said.

Trump’s shifting deadlines for the conflict had raised uncertainty over where the conflict was headed as it entered its second month.

2:42
Iran war’s impact spreads through Middle East

On March 21, Trump issued his first ultimatum to Tehran, giving them 48 hours to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Trump posted on Truth Social that if Iran doesn’t “FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS.”

Iran had until the evening of March 23.

However, 12 hours before that deadline, Trump took to Truth Social again to announce that he had decided to postpone the strikes against Iran.

“I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD,” he wrote, adding that was subject to the success of the discussions.

That pushed the deadline out to the end of that week.

On March 26, just before the deadline, Trump first doubled down on his threats, adding that there was “NO TURNING BACK.”

Later that day, however, he postponed his deadline another 10 days to April 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

On March 30, Trump put celebrating progress in the talks with Iran while also expanding his threatened bombing if a deal wasn’t “shortly reached,” adding that “it probably will be.”

“We will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” he wrote.

On Easter Sunday, in an expletive-laden post on Truth Social, Trump threatened Iran’s power plants and bridges if they did not open the Strait – and extended his deadline once again for 24 hours.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump said, warning Iranians to “open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”

Shortly after that, he simply posted: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”

He confirmed to reporters Monday that the time referred to his final deadline.

— with files from Reggie Cecchini and the Associated Press and Reuters

There are thousands of miles between Majid Kermani and his family, but they couldn’t be closer to top of mind as the war in Iran rages on.

“All the bombing and internet disconnection and all the hardship that this war has brought them, it’s very hard to live in that situation,” Kermani told Global News.

He says communication with his family is sparse amid the internet blackout in Iran.

“It’s a very stressful situation,” he said.

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“Every day that you wake up, we don’t know if our family members or many people that are in Iran are safe or not.”

It’s a similar scenario for Bijan Babaie, who moved to Manitoba from Iran in 2021.

“In the last 40 days, only three times we have received a call from home in Iran, and all the call is this, ‘Don’t worry, we are safe.’ Only this. And it’s cut and you cannot hear anymore,” Babaie told Global News.

He says the impact of the war is difficult to fathom.

“We lived in war, we about 30 years ago had a war with Iraq, we lived in war,” Babaie said.

“War is a special situation. You cannot imagine. (It’s) a special situation and every day and every night we are thinking from our family now.”

Kermani is hoping for a peaceful resolution that can help keep innocent loved ones, like this 79-year-old mother, out of harm’s way.

“You feel the pain, but you have no remedy for it,” Kermani said.

“Like my mom, she’s under this pain and I can’t do anything for it. That’s very sad.”

2:22
Trump issues profane threat to Iran, gets slammed for ‘war-crime’

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The NHS is only days away from running out of some supplies because of the Iran war, the head of the health service in England has warned.

Sir Jim Mackey said ‘we are really worried’ about potential shortfalls in the number of critical supplies like syringes, masks and surgical equipment.

Deliveries have been affected by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with shipments either being held up completely or having to be diverted around the world.

Asked about what contingency planning is in place in the NHS because ‘the UK imports 75% of its medicine’, Sir Jim said: ‘We are really worried about this.

‘We’ve already had a couple of supply shocks in the last 12 to 18 months of key supplies.’

He said there is a team in place to ‘focus on where the risks might be through the supply chains’.

Asked on the LBC phone-in how much supply there is, he replied: ‘It depends what you’re talking about.

‘In every area, we’ve got enough to get through for a reasonable period… so generally, a few weeks

‘Because things perish and it costs money to store and various other things go out of out of use, you can’t hold years and years of supply, generally dependent on the product we keep a reasonable period.

‘Some of that is held centrally, some held locally.’

Asked what was at risk, Sir Jim said: ‘Well, everything, honestly – everything’s at risk.’

Asked whether in some instances it would be ‘weeks’ worth of supply’, he replied: ‘Yeah, it could be days for some products.’

On Monday, the Independent Pharmacies Association said the UK was facing a ‘perfect storm of factors exacerbating medicine shortages’.

Chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck said: ‘The UK pharmacy sector depends heavily on imports, particularly from India and China, and ongoing pressures, from rising energy costs to constrained raw ingredients from the Middle East conflict, are already disrupting supply and risk worsening shortages without decisive action.’

Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association said: ‘We’re not currently seeing shortages of medicine directly linked to the conflict in the Middle East, but pharmacies are seeing disturbing spikes in prices which can be an early indicator of challenges.

He added that ‘the supply chain is very international’ and said ‘we import a lot of medicines, but it’s an international system’.

‘The Department of Health have issued unprecedented numbers of price concessions designed to cope with price surges, which are likely exacerbated by this current situation.

‘The NHS has driven down the price of medicines over many years, which leaves the UK vulnerable in a global market and contributes to the rising problem of medicine shortages, which are a daily reality for many years for our members.

‘Pharmacies will always do everything they can to ensure patients get the medicines they need but they must do this in an increasingly competitive global market.

‘The Government needs to ensure both that physical supply routes are protected during this conflict but also ensure that the NHS is providing sufficient funding to ensure that Britain is not left behind in the international market at a time when both supply and demand for medicines are very challenging.’

A Government spokesperson said: ‘There are currently no reported medicine shortages as a result of conflict in the Middle East.

‘We continue to monitor the situation closely for any impacts on the medical supply chain.

‘The department actively monitors emerging threats to supply resilience and has established processes in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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