We've heard a lot from the American political and religious right in recent years about how they view Hungary as a model for what they'd like to move the United States toward. (So much so that our own vice president JD Vance is in Hungary right now campaigning for Hungary's authoritarian leader, Victor Orban, who faces a tough re-election battle this weekend.)

I found this article detailing the effects Orban has had in Hungary during his 16 years in power to be informative. The tl;dr version of it is: "His vision of illiberal nationalism is a dead end that made Hungary poorer and less free."

He's upended the judiciary and government agencies and stacked them with political allies. He's rewritten election laws to hamstring the opposition. He's attacked the free press, causing Hungary to plunge from 23rd to 68th(!) place in press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders. He and his allies have taken over universities. He's cracked down on LGBTQ rights. He's served as a stooge for Vladimir Putin in the EU. And the corruption—oh, the endless corruption, making Orban and his friends richer and richer, while hampering the country's economic growth.

It’s worth your time to read this ahead of Sunday's election, which may see the Hungarian people finally oust Orban. (Gift link from my subscription.) wapo.st/4chKBFx