Viktor Orban lost Hungary’s premiership after 16 years, yet right‑wing populism remains a potent force across Europe and the United States. Incumbent leaders such as Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni still command power, while parties like Reform UK and Germany’s AfD press for government seats. Even traditional left parties, exemplified by Britain’s Labour, wrestle with waning support.

Scholar Sheri Berman frames populists as symptoms of widespread dissatisfaction with established parties that appear unresponsive to ordinary voters. In Hungary, a scandal‑plagued socialist government and the harsh impact of the 2008‑09 financial crisis opened the door for Orban’s nationalist platform. Similar economic dislocations—rising inequality, job‑security anxiety and fear of sudden shocks—fuel voter turn‑to populist messages that blame minorities, immigrants or elites.

Berman also points to “representation gaps”: mainstream parties have drifted left on cultural issues while societies become increasingly diverse. Non‑college‑educated and working‑class voters feel abandoned as elite parties embrace progressive immigration stances, prompting many to switch allegiance to right‑populist movements. This cultural mismatch compounds economic grievances, reinforcing the populist appeal.

The essay warns that populist governments have delivered mixed economic records. Orban’s Hungary slipped from an Eastern‑European success story to lag behind peers like Poland, while the United States faces rising inflation and stagnant manufacturing under Trump‑era policies. Voters therefore confront a stark choice between populist promises and uncertain policy outcomes.