After 16 years as prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán – often credited with shaping the populist playbook – could be voted out in next week’s parliamentary elections. It could be one of the most consequential contests of 2026.

Among claims of Russian interference, staged assassination attempts and threats to release a sex tape, the campaign has taken a series of dramatic and unexpected turns.

Ahead of an expected visit by US Vice President JD Vance, we ask the BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler, how such a small country became a pivotal geopolitical battleground - and whether a defeat for Orbán could signal a shift for the populist right worldwide.

Producers: Samantha Chantarasak and Valerio Esposito

Executive producer: James Shield

Mix: Renee Park

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: US President Trump meets with Hungary's Prime Minister Orbán at the White House. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters.