Viktor Orban’s victory is a triumph for illiberal nationalism

ASELECTION DAYEUEU dawned on April 3rd, the coalition of parties trying to unseat Viktor Orban, Hungary’s reactionary prime minister, hoped that the polls showing them trailing by six percentage points were wrong. It turned out they were, but in the other direction. Mr Orban’s governing Fidesz party won 53% of the vote, while the opposition United for Hungary alliance took just 35%. Fidesz increased its margin in parliament and retained the two-thirds supermajority needed to alter the constitution. The opposition’s candidate, Peter Marki-Zay, was plucked from obscurity a few months ago, and will most likely return to it. Mr Orban, the European Union’s longest-serving leader, won a fourth consecutive term and looks stronger than ever.The prime minister claimed the win as a vindication of his ideology of illiberal nationalism. Since taking office in 2010 he has changed the constitution to benefit his party, nobbled the courts and seized control over most of the media. The has chided his government for violating the rule of law, misusing its funds and fostering corruption. Mr Orban casts himself as an underdog defending his people against bureaucrats, the international left and George Soros, a Hungarian-born Jewish philanthropist whom he accuses of plotting to flood Hungary with Muslim immigrants. “We have such a victory it can be seen from the moon, but it's sure that it can be seen from Brussels,” Mr Orban crowed after the results were in.