US urges Hungary’s Orbán to run for UN chief, WSJ says

The Trump administration has encouraged former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to run for United Nations secretary-general, and wants him to be a joint candidate backed by the United States, Russia and China. The Wall Street Journal News Corp ↘ 2.12% reported the plan in an opinion piece published October 25, citing sources in three countries. According to the Journal, Washington not only backed the idea but first suggested it to Orbán, and no final decision has been made.wsj.com

The plan would put a nationalist ally of President Donald Trump forward to lead the UN. Orbán lost power in Hungary in April, and the race to replace António Guterres has not yet produced a candidate all five veto-holding powers accept.

Counting Security Council votes

A State Department official admitted the idea sounds "crazy" at first, but said Russia and China are believed to support it based on earlier talks with Washington, according to NV. The official counted eight of the 15 Security Council votes as "comfortable" for Orbán, with 10 within reach, Anadolu Agency reported. A candidate needs at least nine votes and no veto from a permanent member. That means Britain or France could still block him even if Washington, Moscow and Beijing agree, Business Standard noted. Moscow and Beijing have not publicly announced their support, Hungarian Conservative reported.english.nv.ua+3

U.S. officials who sounded out Orbán found him open to the idea but cautious, and unwilling to run unless he is confident he can win. Orbán declined to comment, according to Anadolu. Trump and Vice President JD Vance are expected to back him, but an announcement is being held until after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, Rzeczpospolita reported.aa.com.tr+1

A "dream" candidate and its critics

The State Department official called Orbán "the dream MAGA-conservative candidate," citing his actions against mass migration, liberal NGOs, and Hungary's left-leaning courts and press. The Journal's editorial board warned that he "would act as an apologist" for Vladimir Putin and other dictators, NV reported. The Journal said the best thing about the idea may be that it "would lift the veil by giving the U.N. a leader as low as Turtle Bay has already sunk."english.nv.ua

A crowded, unsettled race

Guterres's term ends on December 31, and his successor is due to take office on January 1, 2027, according to Charter97. Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh entered the race last week. She is scheduled to take questions on October 27, and the Security Council will hold another straw poll on October 28, NV reported.charter97.org+1

Orbán's options at home have narrowed. Péter Magyar's Tisza party won the April 12 election with an absolute majority. The new government then limited prime ministers to eight years in office, applied retroactively, which bars Orbán from returning without another constitutional change, Hungarian Conservative reported. It remains unclear whether Washington can persuade London and Paris to accept him.hungarianconservative.com