2026 is shaping up to be one of the most politically consequential years in recent memory, featuring numerous elections with geopolitical stakes far beyond their national borders. 

Americans are focused on the upcoming midterm congressional elections and what they will mean for President Donald Trump’s second administration. Meanwhile, Europe is struggling to find its way forward amidst the ongoing Russia/Ukraine War and the weakening of NATO. Across Eurasia, political struggles are unfolding that are critical for the balance of power between the U.S., Russia, China, and Iran. 

In April 2026, Péter Magyar and the center-right Tisza Party secured a landslide victory, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule in Hungary. Orbán had been Europe’s poster child for illiberal democracy. Meanwhile, Bulgaria saw pro-Russian ex-President Rumen Radev become prime minister and limit the stay of American military aircraft in Bulgarian air bases to the end of June, purportedly to press Washington to grant visa-free travel to Bulgarian citizens. 

Further east, in Eurasia, Kazakhstan is navigating constitutional reforms that will deeply affect its future, and on June 7, Armenians will vote in an election that could determine whether the strategic South Caucasus continues to evolve toward the West or falls back under Russian domination. The outcome will shape energy markets, Iranian influence at NATO’s periphery, and the future of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It will also test whether Moscow still possesses the ability to manipulate elections in its backyard. The Kremlin has certainly been trying. 

Russian election interference campaigns........

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