As pressure from the EU and its domestic competitors intensifies, the Hungarian prime minister is rallying allies to paralyze European institutions.

The "Trump tornado" swept the world and brought a wave of "hope" to return to "normality and peace." Therefore, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Budapest this year, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in an amazing keynote speech.

Originally a platform for Republican American politicians and theorists, CPAC has evolved into a global forum for radical right-wing forces in recent years. The Foundation for Basic Rights has facilitated its arrival in Europe, a non-governmental organization supported and funded by the Oban government.

This year's CPAC has always been the focus of Europe when Orban praised Donald Trump. After 15 years in power, Auban faces more and more opposition parties at home. His popularity was eroded by public frustration over entrenched corruption, economic stagnation and increasingly hostile relations with Hungarian allies. The emerging opposition movement led by former Fides insider Peter Magyar now votes 6-8 percentage points ahead of Orban's Fidesz-KDNP league, posing serious challenges ahead of the 2026 election.

In response, the government has stepped up its attacks on dissent. Fides recently proposed a wide range of legislative proposals to threaten opposition politicians, independent media, NGOs and private enterprises, and repress in a Russian-style style. The LGBTQ+ Pride Parade in Budapest in June was one of the initial casualties - citing "child protection". In addition to these measures, the government has begun rewriting the election laws and remitting state resources to potential Fides voters.

Amid Orban's escalating authoritarianism, 20 EU member states issued a declaration this week urging him to revoke new measures. They called on the European Commission to deploy various legal mechanisms as laws continue to be in place. Orban's behavior is no longer just a family issue. His confrontational approach to deals is increasingly paralyzing EU decision-making – as challenges from Russia, China and the second Trump administration have exacerbated luxury goods on the mainland. European unification is not only a thriving movement. It is the cornerstone of collective security.

Article 7 Process - A rarely used EU mechanism that can deprive member states of voting rights that violate basic values, triggered by the European Parliament in 2018 due to concerns about Hungary's judicial independence and media freedom. Although the European Council has discussed the matter eight times, no vote on sanctions has been held. This may change soon as tensions continue to intensify.

Therefore, CPAC 2025 is a strategic platform for Orban to consolidate and expand a radical right-wing Central European leadership alliance, especially those shooters who are realistic in gaining or retaining power. His purpose is to create a group that can prevent the EU from sanctioning government efforts, whether through a moratorium on voting rights or a reduction in financial transfers. The EU has withheld more than 20 billion euros ($23 billion) of structured Hungary funds, a figure that could rise, posing serious political responsibility to Oban ahead of the 2026 election.

Orban's ambition is to lay support for support among regional allies - it shows that the governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have not yet joined the growing number of countries condemning Hungary's recent Democratic backstage. Through CPAC, Visegrad Group is a long-term alliance between Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as the European Patriots Group - a far-right alliance of the European Parliament established by Orban and Allies in 2024 - Hungarian leaders are using us use us use use use use use use use use use use use use use us ucers of.

This makes Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki particularly important at this week's event. Although none of their political parties belong to the patriot organizations of the European Parliament, they are still political allies and their dependence is growing.

Orban developed a nearly cult following in Europe to the far right: he always won elections, provided an off-the-shelf ideological narrative, and provided resources for the establishment of a pan-European alliance. But his biggest limitation is that Hungary is small in scale and his own isolation from the mainstream of Europe is very deep. If the far-right parties enter governments elsewhere in Europe, they may choose to distance themselves from Orban - as Italy's Giorgia Meloni has done.

CPAC highlights the scale of Orban's efforts to maintain the impact he has worked hard to build. He cannot accept the EU alone. If he is to realize his vision of "occupying Brussels" and release his "civilization" and "tornado" in Europe, he needs allies. Patriots, Hungary’s Visgrad neighbors and Trump-led Washington may also serve as tools of such ambitions—and Alban’s own political survival.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own views and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.