Hungarian voters turned out in record numbers Sunday for a general election pitting Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party against opposition leader Peter Magyar and his Tisza Party. By 11:00 a.m. local time, nearly 38 percent of eligible voters had already cast ballots, surpassing the pace set in the 2002 election — the last time Fidesz lost power.

Orban, who has governed Hungary for 16 years, held a campaign-closing rally in Budapest on Saturday, seeking to energize his base despite polls showing a sustained opposition lead in the months preceding the vote. Supporters at the rally expressed confidence that a so-called silent majority would carry Orban to victory, downplaying the unfavorable polling numbers.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar cast his ballot Sunday and projected confidence, telling reporters the only remaining question was whether Tisza would win a simple or two-thirds parliamentary majority. Magyar, who has campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, also called on voters to report any irregularities at polling stations, warning that election fraud is a serious crime.

The election carries significant implications beyond Hungary's borders. Magyar has signaled a foreign policy posture more favorable toward the European Union than Orban's government, which has maintained close ties with Russia and repeatedly clashed with Brussels. Leading European far-right figures have publicly backed Orban's reelection, underscoring the contest's broader significance for the direction of European politics.