New Delhi, April 11 -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the European Union's longest-serving leader and one of its biggest antagonists, has taken a long road from his early days as a liberal, anti-Soviet firebrand to the Russia-friendly nationalist admired by the global far-right today.

After dominating Hungarian politics for more than two decades, the 62-year-old could suffer a defeat during Sunday's elections which could bring his 16-year reign to a spectacular end. Most polls have him at a double-digit deficit - despite a recent visit from U.S. Vice President JD Vance meant to boost his chances.

Facing the center-right Tisza party and its popular leader, Peter Magyar, Orban has deployed a barrage of disinformation and AI-genera...