"United for Hungary"? - A process tracing approach about changes in the Hungarian party system regarding the electoral defeat of the opposition alliance "Egységben Magyarországért" between 2018 and 2022

In defective democracies or electoral autocracies, party alliances and electoral alliances play an essential role in building up pressure on illiberal regimes and counteracting increasing autocratisation. After the failed parliamentary elections in Hungary in 2018 for the opposition parties, the overarching highly diverse opposition alliance "United for Hungary" (Egységben Magyarországért, EM ) was announced for the parliamentary elections in 2022. Despite joining forces, the opposition alliance was defeated and the dominant ruling parties, Fidesz-KDNP, once again won a two-thirds majority in parliament. Hopes of ending Orbán's authoritarian and euro-critical government were thereby destroyed. Nevertheless, questions remain as to how far the Hungarian party system has changed with regard to the opposition alliance EM after the parliamentary elections of 2018 and 2022 and how this will affect further democratic developments in Hungary.