Hungary's Orban vows to 'clear away... pseudo civil organisations'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday vowed to press on with his crackdown on "pseudo-civil organisations, bought journalists, judges, politicians", saying the work was only "half done".

The nationalist leader is facing the toughest challenge since returning to power in 2010, with his Fidesz party trailing the opposition TISZA party in opinion polls ahead of parliamentary elections on April 12.

"The oppressive machinery of Brussels is still operating in Hungary -- we will clear it away after April," Orban said in his annual state-of-the nation speech.

"We have worked hard and we are making good progress, but this work is not yet finished. That is why we must -- and why we will -- win the election in April," he added.

He said US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Orban, "rebelled against the liberals' global-scale business, media and political network, thereby improving our chances as well".

"We too can take seven-league strides and push out of Hungary the foreign influence that limits our sovereignty, together with its agents," he said.

Orban, 62, has sought to portray his main challenger, TISZA leader Peter Magyar, as a "Brussels' puppet" supported by global corporations, warning that if the opposition wins this will "pick the pockets of Hungarian families."

Magyar, 44, has vowed to crack down on corruption, accusing Orban and his allies of enriching themselves, and to improve public services such as health.

The former government insider shot to prominence after a child abuse pardon scandal two years ago, and TISZA has been polling ahead of Fidesz for months.

In his drive to build what he has called an "illiberal state", Orban has been accused of silencing critical voices from the judiciary, academia, media and civil society, and of restricting minority rights.