A CATL ultra-fast charging battery (L) and a smart thermal control system are on display during a media tour at CATL's battery cell plant in Debrecen, Hungary, on October 1, 2026. Trial operations and pre-production tests are underway on the plant's first two production lines, which are expected to supply electric-vehicle batteries to European automakers. Local residents and environmental groups have repeatedly protested against the project over concerns about water consumption, pollution and transparency, while authorities have recently fined CATL over environmental compliance violations. Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who defeated Orban at the April election, has pledged stricter oversight of battery plants while maintaining support for strategically important investments. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP via Getty Images)