In a passionate speech, he claimed that Islam would soon 'knock on Central Europe's door' from both the west and the south. Orban, who is seeking a third consecutive term in April's elections, called for a global alliance against migration.   

In his speech, he insisted that Western Europe is being overtaken by Muslims, before claiming that 'born Germans are being forced back from most large German cities, as migrants always occupy big cities first.' He made the claims as his right-wing populist Fidesz party began campaigning for an April 8 election in which it is expected to win a third consecutive landslide victory. 

He is popular in Hungary but is increasingly at odds with mainstream European Union politicians. Orban has seemingly thrived on controversy, including repeated clashes with Brussels.  Those conflicts are mostly centred on migration, since people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa flooded into Europe in 2015.  They have recently intensified as the elections approach, with Orban posting himself as a saviour of Europe's Christian nations.