Orbán's party Fidesz is facing headwinds and its leader is therefore choosing to raise his tone:
"We must get used to the idea that those who love freedom should not fear the East, but Brussels," Orbán told supporters, indirectly referring to Russia and the EU.
He said the EU's "machinery is oppressive" and that "the scaremongering about Russian President Vladimir Putin is primitive and frivolous."
Orbán also said he wants to curtail the right of independent organizations to operate, saying they control journalists, judges and politicians.
The opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, is leading in opinion polls.
