00:00Hungary is set to hold a high-stakes general election this Sunday,
00:04the first since Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's return to power in 2010.
00:08This time, however, he is not considered the clear favourite.
00:12Opinion polls suggest the opposition leader, Peter Magyar,
00:15and his conservative, the Respect and Freedom Party, are headed for a landslide victory.
00:22On April 12, Hungarians will choose local candidates and party representatives.
00:27Only five parties are on the ballot, the fewest since Hungary's democratisation in 1990,
00:34after several withdrew to boost the opposition.
00:36The far-right, our Homeland Party, is also expected to win seats in the 199-member National Assembly,
00:43with analysts predicting a record turnout of 75 to 80 percent.
00:48Orbán's popularity has faltered during his latest term,
00:51amid economic stagnation and high-profile scandals.
00:54But he is positioning himself as the safe choice in a turbulent world,
00:59focusing his campaign on neighbouring Ukraine,
01:01as well as accusing Magyar of being a puppet of Kyiv and the European Union,
01:06which he warns could drag Hungary into war.
01:09Orbán has also received endorsements from right-wing leaders around the globe,
01:13including US President Donald Trump.
01:16Vice President J.D. Vance is set to visit Budapest on Tuesday for a rally with Orbán.
01:21Meanwhile, Magyar has promised a system change if elected.
01:24He wants to crack down on corruption, fix public services,
01:28and rebuild Hungary's democratic institutions.
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