A historic political shift has taken place in Hungary, where Péter Magyar has defeated long-serving prime minister Viktor Orbán after sixteen years in power. Magyar’s Tisza party has secured a decisive parliamentary majority, ending a period often criticised for centralised control and alleged corruption. Campaigning on promises of reform, he pledged to strengthen judicial independence, address governance concerns, and rebuild relations with the EU while distancing the country from close ties with Vladimir Putin. The election saw record voter turnout (almost 80%), reflecting strong public engagement in the country’s future direction. The result signals potential changes in both domestic policy and international alignment. Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen has quickly used the election result to call for a change in EU policy-making: see

With elections due to take place on 12 April, Viktor Orbán is facing a significant challenge after sixteen years in power, as opposition leader Péter Magyar is well ahead in most opinion polls. While visiting Budapest, JD Vance has publicly expressed support for Orbán, while sharply criticising the EU. He also repeated unsubstantiated claims that Kyiv had become involved in the election campaign. Orbán recently accused Ukraine of a ‘terror attack’ when Serbia announced that explosives had been found near a gas pipeline, but Magyar claims that this was staged to boost Orbán’s chances of re-election. Considerable attention is being paid to the country’s difficulties in accessing oil and gas, and also to Orbán’s close ties with both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Recent scandals appear to have dented his popularity: private telephone conversations have been leaked between foreign minister Szijjártó and top Russian officials, and transcripts suggest that he regularly informs them about confidential discussions at EU summits. The outcome of the election is likely to shape Hungary’s future role within Europe, as well as its domestic political landscape.