Hungarians went to the polls on Sunday to participate in the second round of presidential elections. This election is of great importance due to the conflicting views of the two candidates regarding the Ukraine war and recent attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea.
Close Competition Between Candidates
Iliana Iotova, the current president, who supports dialogue with Moscow and opposes sending military aid to Ukraine, faces Andrei Gurov, a banker and former interim prime minister backed by pro-Western opponents. Iotova received 35 percent of the votes in the first round, while Gurov received 32 percent. This gap is much smaller than the 20-point lead predicted in polls for Iotova. Voter turnout in the first round reached a record low of 23 percent.
Challenges Facing Candidates
Theodor Slavtev, a political analyst, stated that voters are expressing their views on "Iotova's unacceptable response to Russian threats in the Black Sea." In October, several ships in the Black Sea near Hungary were targeted, resulting in the disappearance of 21 people, which is seen as a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war. Roman Radev, the center-left prime minister, has stated that these attacks appear to benefit Russia and has summoned the Russian ambassador, but his government has said that there is no evidence directly linking them to Moscow so far.
Iotova, who has been introduced as the "President of Peace" and supports Hungary's membership in the European Union and NATO, has strongly defended negotiations with Russia. In a televised debate before the second round, she accused Gurov of failing to directly criticize Russia for the Black Sea attacks. Gurov stated in this debate, "Russia must stop its aggression for further steps to be taken. Let’s name the country from which the threats are coming."
Iotova also emphasized that "peace can only be achieved through negotiations" and added, "Increased investment in Ukraine and supplying new and advanced weapons will only lead to more destruction and death on both sides."
Radev has also stated that "a ceasefire in Ukraine and peace negotiations are the only reliable guarantees to stop attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea." He described the election as a choice between "peace and war" and urged people to vote for Iliana Iotova to ensure Hungary is in safer hands.
