Hungarian voters celebrate 'much-needed' change

Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule is over, defeated by 45-year-old ex-party insider Péter Magyar.

Hungarian voters on Sunday ousted long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power, rejecting the authoritarian policies and global far-right movement that he embodied in favor of a pro-European challenger in a bombshell election result with global repercussions. Election victor Péter Magyar, a former Orbán loyalist who campaigned against corruption and on everyday issues like health care and public transport, has pledged to rebuild Hungary's relationships with the European Union and NATO — ties that frayed under Orbán. European leaders quickly congratulated Magyar.

Péter Magyar ha logrado una victoria histórica en las elecciones legislativas de Hungría, obteniendo 138 escaños frente a los 55 del ultranacionalista Viktor Orbán, lo que pone fin a 16 años de gobierno del partido Fidesz. La participación alcanzó un récord del 77%, reflejando el deseo de cambio entre la población. Exmiembro de Fidesz, Magyar rompió con Orbán en 2024 y fundó el partido Tisza, canalizando el descontento popular frente a la corrupción, el clientelismo y la cercanía con Moscú. Su campaña culminó con un llamado a una vida pública limpia.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been decisively defeated in a landmark election, signaling a dramatic political shift in Hungary. Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz member who broke away to form the Tisza party, led his movement to a stunning victory, securing 138 out of 199 parliamentary seats—enough for a two-thirds supermajority. This marks a significant transformation in Hungarian politics, ending Orbán’s long-standing dominance. The election saw a historically high voter turnout, driven by widespread public fatigue with Orbán's leadership and a reinvigorated opposition. The campaign was intensely contentious, marred by allegations of corruption, foreign interference, and high-tech disinformation, including AI deepfakes and leaked recordings. International figures, like U.S. Vice President Vance, even campaigned in Hungary in support of Orbán. The result is poised to have broad implications across the region and beyond, reflecting growing resistance to entrenched populist regimes in Europe.

The people of Hungary are waking up in an unfamiliar political landscape – one in which Viktor Orbán, who has served as prime minister since 2010, is stepping aside after defeat to Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party has won an election likely to reshape the country’s ties with the EU, the US and Russia.