Orban tipped to win as Hungary votes

Hungarians yesterday voted in an election that is being keenly watched across Europe, with firebrand nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban tipped to win a third consecutive term and press ahead with his anti-immigration agenda.

Orban has clashed with EU institutions over his rejection of the bloc's refugee resettlement scheme and his clampdown on civil society, while he has drawn plaudits from other nationalist politicians and those on the far right who look to him as an inspiration.

Opinion polls have consistently put Orban and his right-wing Fidesz party 20 or more points clear of their nearest rivals, Jobbik, a far-right party that has been moving towards the centre, and the centre-left Socialists.

However, turnout as of 3:00pm stood at 53.64 percent, more than eight points higher than at the same point in 2014, and analysts say a voter surge could harm Fidesz.

Around 7.9 million Hungarians are eligible to vote until polls close at 1700 GMT.

Orban and his wife voted early in the morning at a school in the leafy Zugliget suburb of Budapest.

"This is a country which has always stepped up for itself, so we can trust in the people, I will accept their decision," he said.

Preliminary results are expected one or two hours after polls close, with broader trends expected to become clear over the course of the evening.