Ten Minutes On… The Orbán Model: How Leaders Win, Keep—and Lose Power

This week, Viktor Orbán made headlines by blocking a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine, sparking outrage across Europe. But this is more than a single diplomatic row—it’s a window into how Orbán has built a political system that allows him to bend rules, sideline opponents, and consolidate power since 2010. In this episode, we unpack his long-term strategy, explore the challenges posed by the upcoming 12 April election and the rising Tisza party, and draw the wider lessons of what some call the “Orbán model”: how leaders win, keep, and entrench power—and why dismantling it is so difficult.