Hungary does not change: Viktor Orban wins again.
With more than 20% of the vote, the outgoing premier has a clear advantage, with the coalition made up of the ruling party Fidesz and the Christian Democrats of KDNP, with 134 seats, out of a total of 199, and the opposition at only 57 In one of the most important votes in the country's history, with Prime Minister Orbán running for the fourth consecutive term, voter turnout stood at 67.8%, down slightly from four years ago.
The premier, who had gone early in the morning to vote with his wife Aniko Levai in a school on the outskirts of Budapest, had predicted a "great victory", but a certain nervousness filtered through the words released to the press.
For the first time, Orbán felt tailed by an opposition that presented itself in a single coalition, 'United for Hungary'.
An electoral cartel that brought together six parties of different political orientation, led by Peter Marki-Zay.
All united by the goal of putting an end to the season of 'illiberal democracy' inaugurated by Orbán.
An assist to the opposition also came from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who on Saturday night again addressed Orbán, "the only one in Europe to openly support Putin".
"I'm not afraid to call the war after him - he attacked the Ukrainian head of state - this is called honesty, something Viktor Orbán lacks, perhaps he lost it somewhere in his relations with Moscow".
Yet Zelensky's invective, which adds to that launched during the European summit, may have proved counterproductive.
Fear spread among the voters, instilled by pro-government propaganda, that the opposition would drag Hungary into war by authorizing the passage of arms to Ukraine.
Marian, retired, says she voted for Marki-Zay, with the hope however that "she will not declare war on Russia, the situation - she says - is dangerous and I remember the Russian tanks in Budapest".
The shadow of fraud also stretches over her vote.
The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union has reported irregularities.
In Hortobagy, a town in eastern Hungary, the local government, according to activists, has organized and advertised buses to take people to vote.
"The local electoral commission has stated that this is illegal, but our activists - claims the NGO - have identified a bus carrying them".
These accusations are added to the suspicions reported in recent days by several journalists who found ballot papers burned in Romania, in a region inhabited by the Hungarian minority.
It is no coincidence that the OSCE has sent - for the first time in an EU country - 200 observers to monitor the correct conduct of the vote.
Which promises to be more controversial than ever.
Towards the triumph of pro-Russian Vucic in Serbia
An announced triumph.
It is that of Aleksanadr Vucic in Serbia, where he voted simultaneously for the early parliamentary, presidential and administrative elections in 14 municipalities, including the capital Belgrade.
A vote that in all probability should see the Serbian leader secure a second term already in the first round.
And even his Serbian Progress Party (SNS, conservative) should have no difficulty in winning both parliamentary and administrative elections by a large margin.
In the meantime, today's consultation was characterized by a strong recovery in turnout, which should amount to around 60%, about ten points more than the last legislative ones of June 2020.
'Peace.
Stability.
Vucic ': this was the slogan of the electoral campaign of the outgoing president, which took place in the shadow of the war in Ukraine and with the ups and downs of the weakened but not yet eradicated pandemic.
A campaign that initially had as dominant themes the fight against corruption and crime, the strengthening of democratic rights and the defense of the environment, themes that remained on the sidelines, overwhelmed by the looming war and by Serbia's positioning on the armed conflict in the Ukraine not so far.
And the new tensions that emerged with the Russian armed intervention, together with fears about the possible spread of instability and threats also to the Balkans, have given further motivation and impetus to Vucic's campaign which, in addition to hammering on the great economic and modernization results of the A country obtained from its management over the last ten years, it has positioned itself as the only true political leader capable of keeping the bar straight and guaranteeing peace and stability not only to Serbia but to the entire region.
The war, however, has placed Serbia, and Vucic in primis, in an awkward position towards the European Union, with which the accession negotiations are underway.
While condemning the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, Belgrade refuses to adhere to international sanctions against Moscow, invoking the national interests of Serbia, primarily the supply of energy at discounted prices and support on the thorny issue of Kosovo.
"For the future, the most important thing is to maintain peace and stability and ensure the continuation of economic progress," Vucic, whose assertive and muscular policy has taken on increasingly national-populist tones, told the polling station.
And their take to the field seems to have helped to mobilize the electorate with a turnout that has grown significantly since the last elections.
In any case, the new parliament will no longer be a substantial single-color as the one that emerged two years ago with over 60% and 188 of the 250 seats won by the Vucic SNS.
The Kosovo Serbs, to vote, had to reach four locations in southern Serbia today, after the firm refusal of the Pristina authorities, despite pressure from the EU and the international community, to organize elections for a 'foreign country' on the territory of Kosovo .
This position is considered unacceptable by Belgrade, which does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, which is still considered an integral part of Serbia.
Today's vote was monitored by observer groups from the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.
Irregularities and incidents of various kinds, albeit not of great importance, have been reported in some polling stations around the country.