Newly re-elected Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will make an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas next month, likely to share his governing vision and discuss pressing geopolitical issues.
Orbán’s speaker spot at the event was confirmed by the Daily Caller. “CPAC is proud to host Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The fight against socialism is a global one,” American Conservative Union (ACU) Chairman Matt Schlapp told the publication.
The now fourth-term prime minister spoke at CPAC’s May conference in Budapest, where he outlined Hungary’s “12-point recipe” for success, including implementing national conservatism in domestic policy by supporting families and churches and in foreign policy by prioritizing Hungarian interests abroad.
The fourth point emphasized conjoining the media with the government, citing the justification that it would expose “the insanity of the progressive Left if we have the media to help us.”
“I am familiar with the old ethos of Western democracy that party politics and the press should be separate. That is how it should be. But, my friends, the Democrats in America, for example, do not abide by these rules. Have you ever tried to count how many media [outlets] serve the Democratic Party? CNN, the New York Times, and I could go on and on. I would not get to the end even by the evening,” Orbán said.
Since his first election, Orbán has been known for centralizing political structures and resisting globalization.
In 2014, he promised to usher in “illiberal democracy” presumably to advance the cause of Hungarian nationalism. His platform has often been compared to the “America First” mantle popularized by former president Trump. Orbán has been accused of cozying up to China and Russia, given its deep dependence on the latter’s energy market. President Zelensky of Ukraine has accused Orbán of neglecting to help defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
In April, Orbán secured a landslide victory of a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament. His Fidesz party won the popular vote 53 percent to 35 percent over the opposition of a united six-party coalition created to displace it.
The CPAC conference in Dallas will be held August 4-7 and will feature other international conservative-affiliated figures including Nigel Farage of the U.K. and Mexican soap opera actor Eduardo Verastegui, the Daily Caller reported.