Hungary's PM Orban mobilises online backers for election challenge

DEBRECEN, Hungary, March 16 - Istvan Hollo, a 76-year-old supporter of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, spends up to an hour daily on Facebook promoting the right-wing leader's messages to bolster his chances in an April 12 parliamentary election. Read more at straitstimes.com.

DEBRECEN, Hungary, March 16 - Istvan Hollo, a 76-year-old supporter of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, spends up to an hour daily on Facebook promoting the right-wing leader's messages to bolster his chances in an April 12 parliamentary election.

In early March, Orban launched a "40-day digital challenge", urging his grassroots supporters to spend at least 10 minutes daily sharing posts and comments on social media, as he seeks to counter the strong online presence of his rival Peter Magyar of the centre-right Tisza party, which leads in opinion polls.

Orban's bid to mobilise online support for his nationalist Fidesz party from its predominantly ageing demographic comes after platforms such as Meta and Google halted political advertising last October due to new Europe-wide restrictions on such paid ads, which had been Fidesz's mainstay.

Wearing an orange Fidesz cap and a paper mask of Orban's ally U.S. President Donald Trump, Hollo said the election "will be decided on Facebook" - by far the most popular online platform in Hungary.

"Our opponent is Tisza and they are more active on Facebook, so all of us alive and kicking must hit the keyboard hard," Hollo told Reuters during a campaign rally at a stadium in the eastern city of Debrecen.

In the April 12 vote, Orban faces the biggest challenge yet to his 16-year rule, although opinion polls show many voters still undecided, making the outcome uncertain.