The defeat of Viktor Orban in the Hungarian elections, after he was strongly backed by Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, has become a turning point for Europe’s far right. According to Politico, many ultra-right parties are now distancing themselves from Trump,
🧵— Artur Rehi (@arturrehi.bsky.social) April 17, 2026 at 5:49 AM
Can’t remember where I stumbled across this thread from an ‘Estonian military blogger’, but it’s fascinating how much American media’s etiolated understanding of ‘religion’ fails to describe the worldview of so many people…
as his increasingly aggressive stance toward Europe and the new war in the Middle East has made him politically costly. It is becoming clear that closeness to him can damage electoral prospects. “We need to keep our distance from him,” Marine Le Pen told members of her party
— Artur Rehi (@arturrehi.bsky.social) April 17, 2026 at 5:49 AM
at a National Rally meeting, according to a senior party official present. A further factor has been Trump’s attack on Pope Leo XIV. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had been one of the last European leaders trying to maintain good relations with Trump, but reportedly
— Artur Rehi (@arturrehi.bsky.social) April 17, 2026 at 5:49 AM
decided to step back after he expanded his criticism from the Pope to her. “Meloni was looking for an excuse to distance herself from Trump, and his direct attack gave her that opportunity,” Lorenzo Castellani of LUISS University told Bloomberg. “Attacks on the Pope and economic
— Artur Rehi (@arturrehi.bsky.social) April 17, 2026 at 5:49 AM
Cold Grey Dawn Open Thread: How Many *Diversions* Does the Pope Have?Post + Comments (37)

