PM Orban Shows Support for Poland’s Newly Elected President

Although the liberal media often fantasizes about some sort of “Orban curse,” the reality is that once again, the candidate endorsed by the Hungarian prime minister has won. This has happened before, for example in the U.S. elections, and Viktor Orban was also among the first to support Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing coalition.

Orbán Viktor miniszterelnök a CPAC Hungary-n Fotó: Csudai Sándor

“And I ask you, my friends, to welcome Mateusz Morawiecki with open arms. He has arrived straight from the battlefield. There will be a presidential election in Poland on Sunday. Long live Nawrocki! If you want to know, my friends, what true liberal democracy looks like, just ask him! Unbelievable things are happening in Poland. They are trampling on every European rule and every constitutional principle. And Brussels tolerates it. No—Brussels supports it! What a disgrace! I’ve been in European politics for 35 years, but I’ve never seen anything as shameful as what they’re doing to the Polish people and to PiS. For that alone, the Brussels leadership should resign. Welcome, Mateusz!”

With these words, Viktor Orban voiced his support on Thursday at CPAC Budapest for Mateusz Morawiecki, politician of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, and for their presidential candidate, Karol Nawrocki.

Karol Nawrocki, the presidential candidate backed by the Law and Justice party (PiS), is the winner of the Polish election (Photo: AFP)

Right-Wing Victory in Polish Elections

Nawrocki, the Law and Justice (PiS) candidate, narrowly defeated his liberal-globalist opponent Rafał Trzaskowski on Sunday night by a margin of 51–49%. Trzaskowski, the mayor of Warsaw, has now lost his second presidential election after his 2020 defeat. His loss may also severely weaken Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who previously also campaigned in vain alongside Hungarian leftist-liberal PM candidate Peter Marki-Zay who lost in 2022.

Back in 2016, Viktor Orban was one of the first leaders globally to publicly support Donald Trump, the eventual Republican winner.

That year, at a speech in Baile Tusnad (Tusnadfurdo), PM Orban said: “I’m not a campaigner for Donald Trump. I never thought I’d ever even consider him the better option for Europe and Hungary among the available choices. But after listening to him, I must say he made three proposals to combat terrorism—and as a European, I could hardly have worded it better myself. That’s what Europe needs.”

In 2024, Orban’s instincts proved right again, as Trump won once more.

The Republican candidate met with Viktor Orban on multiple occasions and mentioned him several times during his campaign, including in a televised debate against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, where Donald Trump said: “Viktor Orban is one of the most respected leaders—they call him a strong man.” Trump also sent a video message greeting the Fidesz leader during last week’s CPAC Hungary.

Mr. Orban’s political foresight was evident when he hosted Giorgia Meloni, then-leader of a small Italian party polling around 5%, at his office in February 2018. Four years later, in the fall of 2022, Meloni was elected prime minister of Italy, aided by Orban’s longtime ally Matteo Salvini.

In the Czech Republic, parliamentary elections will be held on October 3–4, 2025. Polls currently show Andrej Babis's ANO party in the lead. At last week’s CPAC, PM Orban welcomed Babis:

Here he is—Andrej Babis, former and future prime minister of the Czech Republic. Dear Andrej, what battles we fought together for years, battles lasting long into the night in Brussels! We had to stand against a majority of pro-migration prime ministers. Today, Hungary is a migrant-free zone. That couldn’t have happened without you. Thank you—and we’re awaiting your return!

With changes in Czech politics, the right-wing victory in Poland, and the alliance with Robert Fico in Slovakia, the Visegrad Four (V4) cooperation may gain renewed momentum by the end of this year.

Cover photo: Prime Minister Viktor Orban at CPAC Hungary (Photo: Sandor Csudai)