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Tony Abbott has likened Viktor Orbán to “[Donald] Trump with brains” and labelled him Hungary’s “greatest modern leader”, as the future of his work for the ousted leader’s pet thinktank hangs in the balance.

Orbán’s 16-year grip on power in Hungary has ended after the rightwing populist leader conceded his Fidesz party had lost to the opposition Tisza party led by Péter Magyar, which won at least 138 of the 199 seats in the country’s parliament.

Abbott has been connected to the conservative Danube Institute as a senior visiting fellow since 2023, according to Australia’s foreign influence transparency scheme. Orbán’s ousting puts the future of pro-Fidesz thinktanks like the Danube Institute, which rely heavily on his former government’s funding, in doubt.

Abbott, Australia’s 28th prime minister, praised Orbán on social media for making Budapest “something of a haven for conservative intellectuals”, saying he didn’t “expect the new government will want that to change”.

“The economy has strengthened, the city of Budapest has been transformed, and Hungary’s family policies and determination to keep its culture have been studied around the world,” Abbott said.

“[Orbán] and I differed on Ukraine but I thought he was dead right to defy the EU, on illegal immigration especially. Why should a sovereign nation be bullied by Brussels into policies that would jeopardise its future as a distinct people?”

Orbán’s 16 years in power of the central European country has been contentious for many foreign spectators. Orbán has battled with the European Council – which has suspended billions of euros in funding – over a wide range of policies including on justice, migration, LGBTQ+ rights and aid for Ukraine, which, along with sanctions against Russia, he has consistently blocked.

Abbott’s affinity for Orbán’s command of Hungary predates 2023 when he first official joined the Danube Institute as a visiting fellow.

In 2019, Abbott praised the Fidesz leader and warned a conference in Europe about “military age” male immigrants “swarming” the continent.

In a podcast interview this month with the Danube Institute, days before the election result became clear, Abbott again praised Orbán, saying he had “always thought of Viktor Orbán as, if you like, Trump with brains. Someone who is an absolute, passionate nationalist, but is a deep thinker who doesn’t just say the first thing that comes into his head.”

“Now that’s not to dismiss President Trump, who’s obviously a very significant, I think, a very significant president, but Vikor Orbán has, I think, been Hungary’s greatest modern leader,” he said.

“He’s been a transformative prime minister. He has reminded the wider world that controlling immigration is not just about stopping illegal migrants. It’s also about limiting the numbers so that your country can keep its culture.”

Abbott admitted Orbán’s controversial pronatalist policy to increase birthrates to make up for limiting migration had seen mixed success, but implored Australian conservatives to take note.

“Given that our birthrate is declining fast, we are, at the moment, bringing in record numbers of migrants. Not all of them are contributing economically and socially quite as well as we would like,” he said.

“And I would personally like to see much lower migration and far more Australian kids.”

Guardian Australia contacted Abbott for a comment on the election outcome and his future at the Danube Institute but was referred to his social media statement.