General elections kick off in Hungary

BUDAPEST - Hungary started general elections on Sunday to elect a 199-seat parliament, which could make the current Prime Minister Viktor Orban succeed in a third straight term.

Some 8 million voters cast their votes in more than 10,000 polling stations from 6 am (0400 GMT) local time until 7 pm (1700 GMT). Preliminary results are expected in the evening before midnight.

Polls predicted the triumph of Orban's Fidesz party and its allied Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP). Orban came to power in 2010 and is seeking a third consecutive term.

At a final campaign rally Friday, he urged his voters to turn out in masses on election day.

In last elections of 2014, Orban's coalition Fidesz-KDNP won 133 seats, securing two thirds of the parliament, also known as a super majority.

Some Hungarians living abroad have already started to vote on Saturday.