Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has distanced himself from Romanian far-right presidential candidate George Simion. Orban stating that the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), which supports Simion's rival in the presidential election runoff will determine the community’s stance in the upcoming May 18 runoff election, he announced in a Facebook post after a phone conversation with UDMR leader Hunor Kelemen. 

With Simion now lacking an endorsement from Hungary’s rightwing ruling party and facing resistance from religious and ethnic leaders, his hopes of securing Hungarian minority support in the second round appear increasingly unlikely.

Simion, leader of the isolationist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), had been expected to court support from Romania’s Hungarian minority in his race against pro-European candidate Nicușor Dan. Dan's statements against the use of signs of the informal Szekel Land, a region populated mainly by ethnic Hungarians, in official contexts, seemed to distance him from the Hungarian electorate. 

Simion, meanwhile, has previously said he draws inspiration from Orban’s fight to preserve national identity and Christianity in the face of EU pressures. In an interview with Euronews, Simion said he hoped to “follow many of Viktor Orban’s steps”, particularly in family policy and resisting EU influence.

Still, Simion remains a highly divisive figure among ethnic Hungarians. The head of the ultranationalist AUR opposed language rights and cultural autonomy of Hungarians in the past.

Orban’s reversal, which indirectly favours Dan, follows public opposition from the UDMR and criticism from both Hungarian and Romanian political circles.

Orban had initially made remarks on May 9 that were interpreted as tacit support for Simion, who has repeatedly praised Hungary’s national conservative policies and expressed interest in replicating them in Romania.

“Romanians can count on Hungarians in their fight for Christianity and sovereignty,” Orban wrote on X.

The message triggered strong reactions, including from UDMR president Kelemen Hunor and Hungarian opposition leaders. 

Meanwhile, there was a sense of confusion, frustration and anger in Transylvania over what many saw as Orban’s apparent endorsement of Simion, a figure many ethnic Hungarians see as openly hostile. 

Hungary’s nationalist leader has long cultivated the support of the 1.2mn ethnic Hungarians beyond his country’s borders through voting rights, financial aid and symbolic overtures. This is the first time Orban’s most steadfast allies abroad have expressed open disappointment.

Péter Magyar, head of Hungary’s main opposition Tisza Party, said Orban had “spit in the face and betrayed Hungarians abroad”. UDMR, which has already declared its opposition to Simion, played a decisive role in Orban’s subsequent clarification.

Following a phone call with Hunor, Orban acknowledged that “the Hungarian government considers the position of the UDMR to be decisive”, adding on Facebook that “in matters of national policy, the interest of the Hungarians in Transylvania is the indicator”.

The Hungarian minority, which traditionally votes in high numbers and could prove pivotal in a tight runoff, appears increasingly aligned against Simion. Several church leaders representing Hungarian communities in Transylvania — including Roman Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical-Lutheran and Unitarian denominations — have also urged voters to oppose “extremist forces”, implicitly referring to Simion.