Orbán Defeated After 16 Years in Power in Hungary

Darwin, 13 April: Hungary’s long-serving nationalist leader Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat in the country’s national election. The new opposition Tisza Party won by a large margin. The result is seen as a setback for his allies in Russia, Israel, and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Based on results from 97.35 percent of polling stations, the center-right, pro-European Union Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, won 138 seats in the 199-member parliament—enough for a crucial two-thirds majority. They defeated Orbán’s party, Fidesz.

Orbán said, “The election results are not final yet, but the situation is clear. The result is painful for us, but clear.”

Voter turnout was expected to reach record levels. Hungarian television showed long queues outside polling stations in the capital, Budapest. As of 4:30 p.m. GMT on Sunday, data showed that 77.8 percent of voters had cast their ballots, up from 67.8 percent four years earlier.

If the final results confirm this trend, it would mark the end of Orbán’s 16-year rule, with implications not only for Hungary but also for the European Union, Ukraine, and global politics.

It could end Hungary’s confrontational stance within the EU and potentially open the way for a €90 billion loan to war-torn Ukraine, which Orbán had blocked.

It may also lead to the release of EU funds to Hungary that had been suspended due to concerns in Brussels over the erosion of democratic standards.

Orbán’s departure would mean that Vladimir Putin loses one of his key allies within the EU and could send shockwaves through Western right-wing politics.

There could also be shifts in foreign policy. Orbán has long maintained close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has consistently supported Israel in international forums.

Domestically, a Tisza victory could pave the way for reforms aimed at combating corruption and restoring the independence of the judiciary and other institutions. However, the extent of these reforms will depend on whether the party can maintain its two-thirds constitutional majority.

Economic Stagnation Hurt Orbán’s Popularity

A euroskeptic, Orbán built a model of “illiberal democracy,” which has been seen as a reference point for Trump’s “Make America Great Again (MAGA)” movement.

However, after three years of economic stagnation, rising living costs, and allegations of wealth accumulation by government-linked elites, many Hungarians have grown frustrated with Orbán.

Tisza leader Magyar appears to have successfully tapped into this dissatisfaction.

Tisza leader Magyar.

Casting his vote in Budapest, 27-year-old voter Mihály Bácsi said, “The country needs change. There is too much tension in society, and the current government only fuels it.”

Another voter, who identified herself as Zsuzsa, said she preferred continuity.

“I would really like the achievements of recent years to remain—and I am very worried about the war,” she said, referring to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During the campaign, Orbán framed the election as a choice between “war and peace.” Government messaging warned that Magyar would drag Hungary into the Russia-Ukraine war—an आरोप he strongly denied.