Growing anger over corruption in Hungary could cost Prime Minister Viktor Orban dearly in the April 12 elections, potentially ending his 16-year rule.

The wealth accumulated by Orban's inner circle is fueling ever-greater discontent among citizens struggling with weak economic growth, high inflation and crumbling public infrastructure. Transparency International ranks Hungary as the most corrupt country in the EU.

Independent MP Akos Hadhazi, a leading anti-corruption campaigner, claims that corruption has been extracting 2.84 billion euros annually from the state treasury since 2016.

Orban's 85-year-old father, Gyozo, owns multiple construction companies and luxury property worth hundreds of millions of dollars. His son-in-law Istvan Tiborcz became influential through public street lighting contracts, while childhood friend Lorinc Meszaros - a former plumber - became Hungary's richest man with a fortune of 4.8 billion dollars.

"Competition officially exists on paper, but the winners are predetermined," said an anonymous construction contractor.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar has promised to recover frozen EU funds and investigate how the current leadership's wealth was accumulated if he wins the elections.