Hungary votes

BUDAPEST (AFP) – Polls have opened in Hungary for parliamentary elections that will decide whether nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban wins an expected third consecutive term. Polling stations opened around 6 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and will stay open until 7 p.m. local time, according to an AFP journalist. Around 7.9 million Hungarians are eligible to vote. Preliminary results are expected an hour or two after polls close, and analysts say more general trends will emerge only slowly over the course of Sunday evening. Polls have consistently put Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party at least 20 points ahead of its nearest challenger Jobbik, a far-right party that has been moving towards the centre. Jobbik in turn has been a few points ahead of the centreleft Socialists. Fidesz is widely tipped to win a third term, but turnout figures will be closely watched for any clues of a possible upset.