‘If Someone Lit Up a Match, the Place Would Explode’
Hungarian opposition candidate Péter Magyar narrows the gap with long‑time Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of Sunday’s election, while independent journalists face escalating intimidation and legal attacks. Reporters like Noémi Martini recount physical harassment at campaign events, and investigative teams expose spyware use and corruption scandals. High‑profile investigations into a $1.5 billion central‑bank embezzlement and Russia‑Hungary ties have fueled public discontent and bolstered Magyar’s anti‑corruption platform. The election’s result will determine whether press freedom eases or deepens under a potentially re‑elected Orbán regime.
VOA’s Legal Fight for Independence
Voice of America journalists, joined by PEN America and Reporters Without Borders, have filed a lawsuit alleging that the Trump‑appointed USAGM leadership violated the 1994 editorial firewall by censoring coverage, especially of Iran protests. A March court order had allowed...