Stephen Harper criticized for congratulating Hungary’s Orban following anti-immigrant campaign

Orban claimed third consecutive mandate Sunday after riling up anti-migrant sentiment. Former prime minister Stephen Harper is being criticized for congratulating Hungary’s Viktor Orban on his election victory, despite the concerns of international observers who say the campaign was tainted by hostile anti-immigrant rhetoric. Harper tweeted his congratulations to Orban Monday evening after the Hungarian prime minister and his Fidesz party cruised to a third consecutive mandate, securing a two-thirds majority in Sunday’s vote. Harper made the comments in his role as chairman of the International Democrat Union, an alliance of more than 80 centreright parties from around the world which includes the Conservative Party of Canada. Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe have expressed concerns about the Hungarian election campaign, saying that political debate was stifled by “intimidating and xenophobic rhetoric, media bias and opaque campaign financing.” Riling up anti-migrant sentiment Throughout the campaign, Orban railed against the United Nations, the European Union, Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros and the civic groups he funds, accusing them of plotting to turn Hungary into an “immigrant country” and erase its Christian identity.“I don’t think [Harper] has much of an idea of what’s going on in Hungary,” said Robert Austin, an associate professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and an expert on the politics and history of Central Europe.