Hungary's Transformation Into An 'electoral Autocracy' Has Parallels To Trump's Second Term

Hours before President Donald Trump was sworn in to begin his second term, promising a "golden age" for America, the leader of a Central European country was describing the years ahead in strikingly similar terms.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Trump's return would usher in Hungary's own "golden age" and mark the "collapse" of liberal democracy.

The messaging overlap was no surprise.

Orban's strongman style has long served as an inspiration for U.S. conservatives , who have looked at Hungary as a possible model for a right-wing America with less immigration, fewer regulations and the removal of democratic constraints they see as unwieldy or inconvenient.

Orban has formed a close bond with Trump and has made multiple visits to the president's Florida resort. This week, the prime minister praised Trump's unilateral outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine. During one of last year's U.S. presidential debates, Trump praised Orban as "a strong man. He's a tough person."