Orbán’s Era Ends as Péter Magyar Secures Historic Victory
Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure as Hungary’s leader has come to an end, with the political system he established—often described as an "electoral autocracy"—now dismantled by Péter Magyar, a 45-year-old former party insider. Magyar successfully persuaded a majority of Hungarians to bring Orbán’s rule to a close.
"We did it,"Péter Magyar declared to a crowd of enthusiastic supporters gathered in a square beside the River Danube, overlooking Budapest’s iconic parliament building.
"Together we overthrew the Hungarian regime."
Preliminary election results, with more than 98% of votes counted, indicate Magyar’s Tisza party is on track to secure an extraordinary 138 seats. Orbán’s Fidesz party trails with 55 seats, while the far-right Our Homeland party has won six.
For two years, Magyar toured villages, town squares, and cities, rallying Hungarians frustrated by the endemic cronyism and corruption that had characterized Orbán’s administration.
"Never before in the history of democratic Hungary have so many people voted - and no single party has ever received such a strong mandate,"Magyar said on Sunday night, following a record 79.5% voter turnout.
Orbán’s dominance was built on four consecutive election victories with sweeping majorities, but this time, his era ended swiftly.
As Magyar’s supporters waited expectantly in the square on the Buda side of the Danube, the Tisza leader shared an extraordinary message on Facebook:
"Viktor Orbán just called me on the phone and congratulated us on our victory."
At that moment, only 30% of the votes had been counted.
Shortly thereafter, Orbán appeared on a stage at a conference center about a mile downriver on the Pest side of the Danube, flanked by his somber Fidesz party colleagues.
"The result of the election is clear and painful,"he told them, expressing gratitude to the estimated 2.5 million Hungarians who continued to support him.
"The days ahead of us are for us to heal our wounds."
News of the victory spread rapidly among Magyar’s supporters. At the nearby hotel serving as party headquarters, Tisza activists embraced in celebration.
Magyar’s Reform Agenda and Constitutional Majority
Magyar has pledged to reverse Orbán-era reforms in education and healthcare, combat corruption, restore judicial independence, and dismantle the widely criticized patronage system known as NER, which enriched party loyalists and misused state resources.
To implement constitutional changes, Magyar requires a two-thirds majority of 133 seats. Current results suggest his Tisza party is poised to secure 138 seats.
Having prepared his supporters for a regime change, Magyar’s victory marked the beginning of a new political chapter, with celebrations erupting across Budapest. Car horns blared, and women waved Hungarian flags from open sunroofs.
Many of Magyar’s backers are not traditional supporters; for years, he had supported Orbán before leading the movement that ended his rule.
"He's someone you cannot be absolutely sure of,"said Ágnes, a lawyer, in an interview with the BBC.
"But we're at a point where we need to hope for something better, which he promises - and we truly hope his promises come true."
Magyar also targets pro-Orbán state media, such as the M1 TV channel, which has consistently followed the party line. Websites once independent but acquired by Fidesz allies have similarly toed the government’s narrative.
In an apparent moment of uncertainty, M1 rebroadcast a speech Magyar had delivered immediately after the vote count began, expressing hope for victory. By the time of the rebroadcast, Magyar’s win was already assured.
Two Competing Realities Collide on Election Night
Hungary has long felt divided between two realities. In one, Orbán convinced his supporters and state media viewers that he would secure another term, supported by opinion polls from sympathetic pollsters forecasting a Fidesz win even on election day.
In the other reality, Magyar attracted large crowds nationwide, with respected pollsters reporting his growing lead.
On Sunday night, these two worlds collided, and only one reflected the true outcome.
If Tisza’s two-thirds majority is confirmed, significant changes to state media are expected.
Magyar moved slowly through the crowds before addressing supporters from the stage, flanked by party colleagues.
"You performed a miracle today, Hungary made history today,"he said to chants of
"Ria-Ria-Hungaria!"
He compared their electoral victory to the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and the 1956 uprising against Soviet occupation.
Orbán himself once spoke out against Soviet occupation but later became a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. His reliance on cheap Russian oil and petrol has made him unpopular within the European Union, which has sought to reduce dependence on Russian imports. Orbán also reneged on an EU agreement to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion (£79 billion; $105 billion) loan.
"Russians go home,"chanted Magyar’s supporters as he promised improved relations with the European Union.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among the first European leaders to congratulate Magyar on his
"glorious victory,"adding in Hungarian,
"Ruszkik Haza"(Russians go home).
Magyar pledged that his first international trip as prime minister would be to Warsaw to reinforce Hungary’s millennium-long friendship with Poland.
He also promised to visit Brussels to persuade the European Commission to release up to €17 billion in funds currently frozen due to concerns over corruption and judicial independence.
Magyar’s Campaign and Orbán’s Future
Magyar’s momentum followed a marathon campaign involving up to seven speeches daily, energizing large crowds across Hungary.
Orbán’s final campaign speech on Saturday night appeared weary and resigned, as if anticipating defeat.
Orbán, now 62, has not resigned as party leader, and his future role within Fidesz remains uncertain.
For the time being, he will continue to lead Hungary in a caretaker capacity while the party recovers from the loss.
