Congratulations from across Europe poured in yesterday for Hungarian political newcomer Peter Magyar, who defeated nationalist Viktor Orban in elections seen as a blow to right-wing populism worldwide.
Orban, a self-described “thorn” in the EU’s side and defender of “illiberal democracy” endorsed by US President Donald Trump, lost Sunday’s elections after 16 years in power as Hungarians fed up with corruption gave Magyar a decisive victory.
Magyar’s party, Tisza, won a thumping majority in the parliamentary elections, which drew record turnout and sent tens of thousands of jubilant supporters into the streets to celebrate as car horns sounded in the capital, Budapest.
Photo: AFP
Leaders across the EU welcomed Magyar’s win, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who hailed a victory for the “values of the European Union,” and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who called it a “heavy defeat” for “right-wing populism.”
With Orban having been the EU’s most Russia-friendly leader, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow hoped for “pragmatic” relations with Hungary’s new leadership.
Crowds of Magyar supporters celebrated into the early morning hours outside his party’s election headquarters on the banks of the River Danube and in Budapest’s streets, waving Hungarian flags and dancing.
“I feel fantastic,” said Zoltan Sziromi, a 20-year-old student celebrating in the crowd. “We’ve finally got rid of that system, and it was about time.”
Magyar told the cheering crowd that voters had “liberated Hungary,” calling his party’s win a “miracle” in the central European nation of 9.5 million people.
“Today, the Hungarian people have said ‘yes’ to Europe,” the 45-year-old conservative told supporters, promising to “restore the system of checks and balances ... guarantee the democratic functioning of our country” and put Hungary “back on track.”
An almost complete vote count showed Tisza secured a two-thirds majority, with 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament with 53 percent of the vote, according to official election results.
Orban’s Fidesz took 55 seats with 38 percent of the vote.
Turnout in the election reached a record 79.6 percent.
As first results came in earlier on Sunday, Orban, 62, conceded defeat, saying the results were “clear and understandable.”
“For us, they are painful, but unambiguous,” Orban told reporters.
Orban, who was seeking a fifth straight term, has transformed his nation into a model of “illiberal democracy,” clashing with the EU over rule-of-law issues, as well as over support for war-torn Ukraine.
Magyar, a former government insider, burst onto the scene just two years ago, promising to fight corruption and offering better public services. He drew support against a backdrop of economic stagnation, and despite an electoral system skewed in favor of Orban’s Fidesz party.
Ahead of the vote, both camps had alleged foreign interference in the campaign.
US Vice President J.D. Vance visited Hungary days ahead of the vote to rally with Orban, attacking the alleged interference in Hungary of EU “bureaucrats.”
Trump had promised to bring US “economic might” to Hungary if Orban’s party won.
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