Hungarians are voting in a general election on Sunday, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, champion of illiberal democracy and migration hard-liner, seeking a fourth term in office.

Orbán was widely expected to cruise to victory but he has faced a surprisingly tense and bruising campaign.

Spying allegations, fake news, leaks, counterleaks and corruption scandals have all featured in the lead-up to the election. Never far away from the government's attacks on their opponents have been efforts to pin blame on Hungarian-American financier George Soros, Orbán's liberal nemesis.

While Orbán's Fidesz party designed the electoral system and controls much of the media, the intensity of the campaign has revealed how much the prime minister fears losing.

Many of Orbán's critics don't actually believe he can be beaten, but setbacks in his campaign have raised opposition supporters' hopes that they can, at the very least, weaken his position if they vote strategically for the strongest anti-Fidesz candidate in their district.

For Fidesz, defeat is not an option: a series of scandals means that if they lose power, Orbán's allies and perhaps even the prime minister himself will face the threat of long jail terms.

Here are some highlights of POLITICO's coverage of Hungary and the election:

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An unexpectedly dramatic campaign

Hungarian election battle hit by spying allegations

Secret recordings of NGO leaders spark row with government.

Setback for Orbán raises opposition election hopes

Ruling Fidesz party rattled by surprise loss in mayoral contest.

Battle of leaks as Hungarian campaign heats up

Orbán’s government and former close friend of prime minister use media to wage feud.

Orbán’s media puppetmaster

Antal Rogán runs Hungary’s propaganda machine, but some voters are getting tired of the same old messages.

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Key players, strange bedfellows

The new communists

In Budapest and Warsaw, nationalist governments are stealing pages from their predecessors’ playbooks.

Trading places on the Hungarian right

Polls suggest few EU countries are as nationalist as Hungary — a fact not lost on Fidesz.

Hungarian left’s far-right dilemma

Activists consider controversial tie-up to pose threat to PM.

The world according to Orbán

In this interview with POLITICO from 2015, the Hungarian prime minister defends his anti-migration agenda.

PM's old friend turns against him

Lajos Simicska goes from trusted ally to dangerous enemy.

Orbán courts voters beyond ‘fortress Hungary’

Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians living outside the country are eligible to vote in the election.

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Foreign fronts

Hungary’s Freudian political fight: Orbán vs Soros

The two men once walked a common path but now are sworn enemies.

Hungary on offensive against European Parliament probe

Dutch MEP says she has a ‘difference of understanding’ with Budapest.

Hungary accuses US of meddling in election

Backlash against State Department for planning to fund media projects.

Orbán wins the migration argument

Suddenly most EU leaders echo the Hungarian prime minister.

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Russian role

Moscow spooks return to Hungary, raising NATO hackles

Government insists there is no such thing as a ‘special relationship’ between Russia and Hungary.

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The corruption trap

EU lawmaker calls for ‘real’ police probe into Orbán’s son-in-law

‘What we expect is cooperation to solve problems,’ says Ingeborg Gräßle, chair of the European Parliament’s Budgetary Control Committee.