2024-11-0920211303-5754https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/1069While municipal elections are of less importance than national ones, the study of local election communication shows that there are cases when political actors frame them as first-order elections. In 2019, the opposition managed to challenge the ruling Fidesz-KDNP alliance in Hungary, and gained mayoral offices in strategically important places. In the campaign, PM Viktor Orban 's party stressed the importance of local elections, utilizing a complex conspiracy theory. They argued that the stakes were high because Hungary's sovereignty was at risk. In this article, I evaluate the findings of a content analysis conducted on 86 speeches that were performed as part of the ruling party's election campaign with a special focus on topics and character remarks.pdfPolitical scienceGovernment and lawJournal Articlehttps://turkishpolicy.com/article/1085/when-the-stakes-are-high-campaign-messages-in-hungary727964600012N/ANOIR03410