Hungary began voting in a tense election runoff today, with the opposition Socialists poised to unseat Prime Minister Viktor Orban's conservatives and head a new government to lead Hungary into the European Union.
In a first round two weeks ago, the Socialists narrowly beat Orban's Fidesz/Democratic Forum alliance, easing foreign investors' fears Hungary may swing to the radical right or face an unstable minority government.
If they carry the decisive second round, the Socialists are likely to team up with the liberal Free Democrats, as they did in 1994-98, to form a centre-left government running a market-friendly economic policy and restoring damaged ties with central European neighbours.
Polls close at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. Irish time) and preliminary results are due at about 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Irish time).