Balazs Orban: Viktor Orban's Leadership Prioritizes the Interests of Hungarian People

Hungary’s leadership believes in traditional values and governs in the interest of the Hungarian people, the Prime Minister’s political director emphasized in an interview with the French daily Le Figaro. According to Balazs Orban, the main reason for tensions with the European Union is Brussels’s push to create a centralized superstate.

Balazs Orban, Political Director to the Prime Minister of Hungary (Photo: MTI/Nandor Veres)

In the long-form interview, Balazs Orban, the Prime Minister's political director, rejected Western labeling, saying that in Hungary there is no “Orbanism,” but rather a sovereigntist and patriotic policy.

According to Balazs Orban, the secret of the Prime Minister's success is that he always stands by the people (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister's Communications Department/ Vivien Cher Benko)

Yes, we believe in traditional values—like family, nation, order—but we also adapt to the challenges of the 21st century,

he stressed. The Hungarian government is made up of nation minded liberals, Christian democrats, and national conservatives united by their commitment to Hungarian sovereignty, he added.

Balazs Orban said that in the Prime Minister’s view, the transformation of the world is no longer a mere theory, but a reality.

Bloc formation is accelerating, the arms race is restarting, and migration has reached historic proportions. All signs point to a growing risk of a world war,

he warned.

In this polarized international environment, Hungary rejects automatic alignment with any bloc and instead follows an independent strategy, cooperating with both East and West while keeping Hungarian national interests in focus.

This is not neutrality, but a sovereign foreign policy based on openness, balance and pragmatism,

he stressed.

Explaining the term “illiberal democracy,” Balazs Orban stressed that it means a system where power comes from the people, not from the liberal elite or foreign-funded institutions.

It is rooted in national sovereignty, Christian values and a community-oriented worldview. It protects every nation’s right to shape its own future—and that is precisely why it is spreading,

he pointed out.

At the time, we opposed the Soviet Union because it sought to impose its will on Hungary. By the same logic, we oppose Brussels today. Then it was communism, now it is liberal imperialism. Our answer is the same to both: 'no',

the politician added.

We are neither pro-Russia nor pro-Ukraine; we are pro-Hungary. From day one, we have said that Europe should act as a mediator, not a participant,

Balazs Orban responded when asked about Hungary’s relationship with Russia, which the West considers too close. The Prime Minister’s peace mission—encompassing Ukraine, Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States—aims to protect the Hungarian people and promote European stability.

We have always said that a prolonged war is not in Europe’s interest,

he emphasized.

Balazs Orban attributed Viktor Orban’s long-standing political success to the government’s consistent support for the people and rejection of liberal ideologies that undermine their interests. He highlighted the successes of Hungary’s family support system, migration policy and economic performance.

A work-based economy provides a solid foundation: taxes are low, incomes are rising, people work, spend and invest—working pays off,

the PM's political director underlined.

Hungary has also chosen a different path on migration, he stressed.

We respect that other countries choose migration as a tool to address demographic or labor market challenges, but we do not intend to import people. In the long term, migration changes not only public safety, but also the functioning of democracy,

he warned.

Balazs Orban stated that the strained relationship with the EU stems from Brussels’s drive to create a centralized superstate.

We are Brussels’s democratic opposition, which is why they try to isolate and penalize us. But we govern in the interest of the Hungarian people—not to please Eurocrats. Brussels increasingly thinks, acts and relates to member states as if it were a liberal empire. Every challenge and problem Europe faces is examined from a single angle: Can it be utilized to reduce national competences and expand central power in Brussels? If the answer is yes, they don’t hesitate to take another step toward federalization,

he explained.

In closing, Balazs Orban stressed that despite the apparent trends, Hungary does not actively seek to serve as a model for other countries.

Cover photo: Balazs Orban, Political Director to the Prime Minister of Hungary (Photo: MTI/Nandor Veres)