Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar’s Hungary election landslide

Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure has ended, marking the collapse of the regime he built. The system labeled an “electoral autocracy” now faces significant upheaval, with a 45-year-old former party operative securing a decisive victory. “We did it,” Péter Magyar declared to an enthusiastic crowd near the Danube, gazing across at Budapest’s parliament. “Together we dismantled the Hungarian regime.”

Preliminary results, derived from over 98% of counted votes, suggest Tisza’s party could claim an unprecedented 138 seats. Orbán’s Fidesz, once dominant, holds 55, while the far-right Our Homeland secures six. Over two years, Magyar mobilized his growing movement through rural areas, town halls, and urban centers, rallying citizens weary of entrenched cronyism and corruption.

“Never before in democratic Hungary’s history have so many people cast their votes, and no single party has ever received such a strong mandate,” Magyar stated on Sunday night, following a record 79% turnout. His triumph signaled a swift end to Orbán’s era, which had relied on four consecutive electoral wins and overwhelming majorities.

As pro-Magyar supporters gathered in the Buda-side square, the party’s leader shared an unexpected message: “Viktor Orbán just called me and extended his congratulations.” Before the final tally was complete, Orbán appeared on a stage opposite the Danube, flanked by his somber Fidesz allies. “The election result is clear and painful,” he said, acknowledging 2.5 million loyalists who had supported him through years of governance.

Magyar’s victory promises sweeping reforms. He aims to undo Orbán-era changes in education and healthcare, combat corruption, and restore judicial independence. The system of patronage, NER, which enriched party loyalists and misallocated public funds, is targeted for elimination. A two-thirds majority of 133 seats is needed to amend the constitution, and current projections favor Tisza’s 138 seats.

State media, including M1 TV, which had long aligned with Fidesz, now faces a potential shift. After the polls closed, M1 rebroadcasted a speech Magyar had given post-vote, though the message was already outdated. The next prime minister, Magyar, pledged closer ties to the European Union, with supporters chanting, “Russians go home.”

For years, Hungary existed as two parallel realities. Orbán’s backers, bolstered by polls from sympathetic agencies, remained convinced of a Fidesz victory until Sunday evening. Meanwhile, Magyar’s movement grew stronger, backed by respected pollsters highlighting his increasing lead over the incumbent. On Sunday night, the two worlds converged, leaving only one in power.

Magyar compared his win to pivotal moments in Hungarian history, likening it to the 1848 revolution and the 1956 uprising against Soviet control. Once a critic of Moscow, Orbán now aligns closely with Russia, defending its energy exports and alienating EU allies. His recent withdrawal from a €90bn loan agreement for Ukraine has further strained relations with the bloc.