Péter Magyar's pro-European Tisza Party secured a two-thirds majority in Hungary's parliamentary election on April 12, ending Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule. Orbán conceded defeat less than three hours after polls closed amid record turnout. Magyar vowed to restore ties with the European Union, combat corruption, and rebuild democratic checks and balances.
Hungary's voters turned out in unprecedented numbers on April 12, the highest since the fall of communism, to deliver a stunning landslide victory to Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party. The center-right party captured a two-thirds parliamentary majority, allowing potential constitutional changes. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had led for 16 years, conceded quickly and congratulated Magyar. Orbán's Fidesz party, once dominant, suffered a decisive loss fueled by public anger over corruption and economic woes. The European Union has withheld billions in funding since 2022, citing violations of democratic norms under Orbán. In a victory speech along the Danube River in Budapest, Magyar, a 45-year-old former Orbán insider turned critic, promised to reconnect Hungary with the EU and NATO. He said, 'Today we won because the Hungarian people didn't ask what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country.' Magyar called on the president to convene parliament by May 5 to form a new government. Magyar rose to prominence in 2024 after exposing government scandals, including a controversial pardon that led to resignations by then-President Katalin Novák and his ex-wife, former Justice Minister Judit Varga. Reviving the Tisza Party ahead of European Parliament elections that year, it won 30% of the vote. Despite personal controversies, including abuse allegations he denies as propaganda, Magyar built a professional campaign machine against state-backed odds, as noted by polling expert Abel Bojar. Western leaders welcomed the result. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it a 'victory for fundamental freedoms,' while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered congratulations and readiness for cooperation. U.S. lawmakers from both parties praised the outcome, though President Trump remained silent after prior endorsements of Orbán.
