Constituencies and special rules
Of the 199 seats, 106 are elected in single-member constituencies, a system similar to that of the United States and generally considered to favor major parties. Several electoral districts have also recently been redrawn (known in the United States as gerrymandering) to favor Fidesz.
Special rules for certain national minorities (notably Roma, Germans and Slovaks), under which fewer votes are required to win individual mandates, are also believed to benefit Viktor Orbán's alliance, as Roma and Germans have historically sided with the government.
Control over media
Viktor Orbán controls almost all state and private media. Reporters Without Borders estimates that around 80 percent of Hungary's media is controlled by "oligarchs" with close ties to the government, and they receive almost all state advertising money. Critics accuse the Orbán-controlled media of unreservedly spreading the government's agenda and portraying Orbán in a positive light, while opposition leader Péter Magyar is portrayed negatively.
Institutional control
By placing loyalists in courts and authorities, Orbán is believed to be able to exert significant influence even if he were to lose the election on paper.
Campaign work with tax money
National conservative Orbán is accused of using state resources for his re-election campaign. Ahead of the election, Fidesz has used state email lists, including those of the tax authority, to spread its message.
The government has also carried out an extensive, tax-funded media campaign promoting anti-Ukrainian positions and opposing Ukraine's EU membership - in line with Orbán's pro-Russian and Eurosceptic policies.
