Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar’s Hungary election landslide
Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar’s Hungary election landslide
Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule has ended, with the regime he established as an ‘electoral autocracy’ collapsing under the weight of a historic shift. The victory belongs to a 45-year-old former party operative, Péter Magyar, who has galvanized a majority of Hungarians to dismantle the system that once dominated their politics.
“We did it,” Péter Magyar told a crowd of supporters in a square beside the River Danube, gazing across at Budapest’s parliamentary building. “Together we overthrew the Hungarian regime.”
Preliminary results, reflecting over 98% of counted votes, suggest Magyar’s Tisza party could secure 138 seats, far surpassing Orbán’s Fidesz, which is projected to win 55, and the far-right Our Homeland, with six. This marks a radical change from Orbán’s previous dominance, which relied on four consecutive victories and sweeping majorities.
Magyar’s campaign, spanning two years, took his movement through villages, town squares, and cities, rallying citizens against years of cronyism and corruption that had deeply eroded public trust. “This is the first time in Hungary’s democratic history that such a high turnout has been achieved, and no party has ever secured a stronger mandate,” he said on Sunday night, following a record 79% voter participation.
Orbán’s power was dismantled in mere minutes, as his supporters waited anxiously in the Buda-side square. Magyar, with his party’s headquarters nearby, posted a message on Facebook: “Viktor Orbán just called me to congratulate us on our victory.” The final count was still pending, with only 30% of votes tallied. Moments later, Orbán appeared on a stage a mile downstream, surrounded by disheartened Fidesz colleagues. “The election outcome is clear and painful,” he told them, thanking 2.5 million loyalists who remained steadfast.
Hungary has long felt like two separate realities. One side, driven by Orbán, presented a vision of continued Fidesz dominance, even as late Sunday evening polls hinted otherwise. On the other, Magyar’s grassroots movement grew in strength, supported by respected pollsters indicating a rising edge over his rival. The collision of these worlds on Sunday night left only one truth: Magyar’s triumph.
Magyar’s promises include reversing Orbán-era changes to education and health, curbing corruption, restoring judicial independence, and dismantling the patronage system known as NER, which enriched party allies at the expense of public resources. With a potential 138 seats, he is on track to achieve the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional reforms. State media, once a staunch Fidesz ally, now faces transformation as Magyar’s victory signals a new era.
His speech on Sunday night, delivered before a cheering crowd, likened the election to pivotal moments in Hungarian history, such as the 1848 revolution and the 1956 uprising against Soviet rule. Orbán, who once criticized Soviet occupation, has since aligned with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, a decision that has made him a controversial figure in the EU. His support for cheap Russian oil and his breach of an EU agreement to fund Ukraine with €90bn have drawn sharp criticism.
As the final results take shape, Magyar’s supporters chant, “Russians go home,” echoing a commitment to closer ties with the European Union. European leaders, including Poland’s Donald Tusk, have hailed the outcome as a “glorious victory,” signaling a turning point for Hungary’s political landscape.
