Viktor Orbán, Hungary's long-serving prime minister, once worked as a janitor in a Surbiton flat block.
The episode opens by noting Orbán's humble past as a janitor in Surbiton, contrasting it with his long political dominance. It describes his early life in rural Hungary and his role in founding the youth movement Fidesz in 1988. A key moment is his 1989 speech demanding Russian troops leave Hungary, which boosted his political career. Orbán studied at Oxford on a George Soros scholarship, though he later targeted Soros rhetorically. He returned to Hungary to campaign, leading Fidesz to win 22 seats in post-communist elections. In 1993, Orbán shifted Fidesz to the right after the centre-right party collapsed, causing liberal members to leave. He became prime minister in 1998 at age 35, Europe's youngest at the time. After losing power in 2002, he spent eight years in opposition before returning in 2010 with a supermajority. The episode details his close ties to billionaire Lőrinc Mészáros and allegations of family enrichment through patronage. Orbán has changed Hungary's constitution, drawing EU criticism, and promotes nationalist policies like tight immigration controls. He is an ally of Vladimir Putin and popular in Donald Trump's circle, hosting US Vice President Vance during the election campaign. The episode features insights from journalists Nick Thorpe and David Campanale, and former press secretary Esther Potaky. It concludes with concerns about potential street protests if the election result is close, though Orbán has pledged to concede if he loses.
