Hungarian embassies across Europe have been ordered to collect negative stories about immigration in order to support the re-election campaign of Viktor Orban, the Telegraph can reveal.

The apparent use of state apparatus for political purposes emerged as Mr Orban seeks a third consecutive term as prime minister at parliamentary elections on Sunday with opposition groups fearing that victory for his ruling Fidesz party will irrevocably cement his grip on power.

In a highly rhetorically charged campaign, Mr Orban has stoked fears over immigration, attacking Brussels for enabling what he called an “invasion” of refugees that threatened to “cast aside” the bloc’s Christian culture.

In an internal email, obtained by The Telegraph, a senior official in the Hungarian Foreign Ministry requests European embassies to collect “negative statements” on immigration to help support the campaign.

“I need all the specific news and declarations about the problem of migration in a given country. If an official says this - which can also happen - I need it even more,” writes Tamas Menczer, the deputy Under-Secretary of Communication and Parliamentary Coordination, in the email.

“You can send me everything: from integration problems, no-go zones, educational difficulties, etc.”