Victor Orbán and the March of Right-Wing Populism Across Europe: What Does This Support Mean for Denmark?

There’s something in the air these days. Maybe it’s the upcoming election campaign about to sweep across Europe, but when you look at Budapest right now, it’s hard to ignore the symbolic weight of it all. Victor Orbán is no longer just Hungary’s prime minister; he has become a rallying point for an entire movement that stretches from Washington D.C. to Brussels. And it’s not just the usual European nationalists making their way to the Hungarian capital to show their support. No, if you look closer, this is about a much deeper alliance that calls into question the very foundations of our Western partnership.

Budapest, the epicentre of power

We’ve seen this before, but never as clearly as now. In recent days, the streets of Budapest have been filled with displays of support, making it look almost like an alternative power centre within the EU. It’s not just the usual suspects from Poland or Italian ministers showing up. No, it’s the American connection that’s really fuelling this fire. You could call it the "America First" movement’s ideological opposite if you wanted to be cheeky – a slogan that turns traditional US foreign policy on its head. Because that’s exactly what’s at stake here. While a majority in Washington has historically viewed Europe as a natural ally, a powerful faction on the American right has emerged, one that has long had a soft spot for strongmen – from Putin to Victor Orbán.

A long-standing romance

When you dig into the dynamics, this is about much more than a few campaign posters. It’s about an ideological romance that has been brewing for decades. The American right has long had a strained relationship with the liberal world order that the US itself helped build after World War II. Instead, they’ve looked to leaders who speak their language: culture wars, sovereignty above all else, and a deep scepticism of what they call "globalism."

• The ideological kinship: It’s not just political tactics. There’s a genuine fascination with Orbán’s "illiberal democracy" – a model that’s gaining ground in several European countries.
• Trump’s open support: He’s made it a habit to meddle in European politics. He’s openly called for votes for Orbán, which is a pretty brazen interference in an ally’s internal affairs.
• The battle over values: For us here in Denmark, this is very much about which direction the EU should take. Do we want more of the Hungarian model, or do we hold firm to the principles of the rule of law?

This is where the concept of "Behind the Illiberal Turn: Values in Central Europe" really comes into play. It’s not just about taxes or the economy. It’s about what we define as our core values. Orbán has built a narrative that he is protecting Europe from outside forces, both physically and culturally. That narrative is selling like hotcakes to a growing group of voters – and not just in Hungary.

What does this mean for us in Denmark?

It’s easy to think that all this is happening far away. But in reality, it’s as close as the next European elections. The forces backing Orbán have allies right here in our own parliament. The same arguments about sovereignty, about the "elite" in Brussels having seized power, are being echoed here. And with the explicit backing from powerful forces in the US, it carries a whole different weight.

So, we find ourselves in a situation where a decisive battle for Europe’s future is about to be fought. One side dreams of a strong, federal Europe based on liberal values. The other side, with Victor Orbán as its standard-bearer, dreams of a "Europe of homelands" where the nation-state has the final say, and they’re not shy about drawing inspiration from across the Atlantic. It’s going to be an intense election campaign, and it will undoubtedly shape the political agenda in Denmark far more than we might expect.