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

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

After 16 years of leadership, Viktor Orbán’s era has concluded, marking the end of a system labeled an “electoral autocracy.” The collapse came swiftly, as a 45-year-old former party insider, Péter Magyar, led a majority of Hungarians to end the regime. “We did it,” Magyar declared to a crowd of supporters gathered by the River Danube, gazing across at Budapest’s parliament. “Together we overthrew the Hungarian regime.”

Preliminary counts, covering over 98% of votes, suggest Magyar’s Tisza party could secure an unprecedented 138 seats, while Orbán’s Fidesz holds 55 and the far-right Our Homeland six. For two years, Magyar had mobilized his movement through rural communities, town centers, and urban areas, galvanizing citizens frustrated by years of cronyism and corruption. “Never before in democratic Hungary’s history has such a large turnout been achieved,” he said on Sunday night, as 79% of voters cast their ballots. “No party has ever had a stronger mandate.”

“The result of the election is clear and painful,” Orbán remarked to his Fidesz colleagues, expressing gratitude to the 2.5 million supporters who remained loyal. “The days ahead will be for us to heal our wounds.”

Magyar’s triumph was immediate. As his supporters celebrated in the Buda district square, he shared a message on Facebook: “Viktor Orbán just called me to congratulate us on our victory.” The surprise was palpable, with only 30% of votes counted before the shift in power became undeniable. Moments later, Orbán appeared on a stage in a conference center across the Danube, surrounded by disheartened Fidesz members.

Magyar’s vision includes reversing education and healthcare reforms from the Orbán years, combating corruption, restoring judicial independence, and dismantling the NER patronage system that enriched party allies. With a two-thirds majority of 133 seats, he aims to enact these changes, and current results indicate Tisza is poised to meet this threshold.

State media, once Fidesz’s staunch allies, now face a new direction. M1 TV, which had long followed the party line, aired a speech Magyar had delivered shortly after the polls closed. The speech, initially hopeful of victory, became obsolete as the Tisza leader secured his win.

Hungary had long existed as two distinct spheres. One, shaped by Orbán’s narrative, saw his supporters and TV viewers believe in another Fidesz victory, with polls by aligned firms still forecasting a win late into Sunday. The other, driven by Magyar’s grassroots appeal, reflected a growing lead reported by respected analysts. On Sunday night, these realities collided, leaving only one truth: Magyar’s victory.

Magyar, moving through the crowd, addressed his followers on stage. “You performed a miracle today,” he told them, as chants of “Ria-Ria-Hungaria!” echoed. He drew parallels to the 1848 Hungarian revolution and the 1956 uprising against Soviet control. While Orbán had once opposed Soviet dominance, his recent alignment with Russia’s Vladimir Putin has sparked EU criticism, especially over his support for cheap Russian oil and his withdrawal from a €90bn loan agreement for Ukraine.