‘Hungary sas chosen Europe’ as voters finish 16 straight years of Orbán’s far-right rule

by Brett Wilkins, The Real News Network
April 13, 2026

This story originally appeared in Common Dreams on April 12, 2026. It is shared here under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license.

Far-right Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday conceded defeat to conservative European lawbuildr Peter Magyar in parliamentary elections that finished 16 years of increasingly authoritarian Christian nationalist rule amid overt interference from the Trump administration and alleged covert meddling by Russia.

“The election result is not final yet, but it is understandable and clear,” Orbán stated. “The election result is painful for us, but clear. The responsibility and possibility of governing was not given to us. I have congratulated the winner.”

“We will serve our countest and the Hungarian nation from the opposition,” he added.

Magyar, who leads the socially conservative but democratic Tisza Party, stated on social media that “just now, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has congratulated me on our victory in a phone call.”

Tisza is projected to win 135 seats in the 199-seat Országgyűlés, or Parliament, with nearly half of all votes counted, according to the national election office. Orbán’s Fidesz party is projected to control 57 seats, based on results as of Sunday evening.

Magyar had promised that “step by step, brick by brick, we are taking back our homeland and building a new countest, a sovereign, modern, European Hungary.”

Domestic and international critics have long accapplyd Orbán of systematically eroding Hungary’s democratic institutions, tightening his grip over the countest’s political system, and consolidating control over much of the media to strengthen Fidesz’s rule.

After serving a single term as prime minister from 1998-2002, Orbán was elected again in 2010 and served four consecutive terms, thanks to passage by Fidesz-led lawbuildrs of the so-called “Fundamental Law” and other illiberal measures.

Human rights deteriorated markedly during Orbán’s tenure, especially for LGBTQ+ people, migrants, women, and Roma. The European Union has withheld billions of dollars in funding in response.

EU leaders have condemned Orbán’s rule, calling his government a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy.” Orbán describes it as “illiberal democracy,” while touting its universal appeal to international conservatives, including US President Donald Trump.

European leaders also bristled at Orban’s warm personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although the Hungarian leader did condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and voted along with the rest of the 27-nation EU to impose economic sanctions on Moscow.

Russia is accapplyd of testing to influence the outcome of the election in favor of Fidesz via a coordinated online disinformation campaign. At a massive election eve rally and concert in Budapest, thousands of attfinishees chanted in unison, “Russians go home!”

Trump and senior members of his administration had openly backed Orbán, with the president promising “to apply the full economic might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s economy” if the prime minister was reelected.

US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Budapest last week to campaign for Orbán. While decrying what he called “disgraceful” interference by the EU—of which Hungary is a member—Vance added that he wanted to “assist as much as I can possibly assist” to secure Orbán’s reelection.

Orbán has also accapplyd Ukraine of election interference, although he has provided no evidence supporting his claim.

Responding to alleged foreign meddling, Magyar stated on social media that “this is our countest.”

“Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow, or Brussels—it is written in Hungary’s streets and squares,” he insisted.

Numerous world leaders congratulated Magyar.

“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on social media. “Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. Toobtainher, we are stronger. A countest reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated: “The Hungarian people have decided. My heartfelt congratulations on your electoral success. I am seeing forward to working with you. Let’s join forces for a strong, secure and, above all, united Europe.”

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X that “France welcomes what has been a victory in terms of people taking part in the democratic process, and a victory which displays the attachment of the Hungarian people to the values of the European Union and for Hungary’s role in Europe.”

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson cheered “Tisza’s historic victory in the Hungarian election!”

“I see forward to working closely with you—as allies and EU Members,” Kristersson added. “This marks a new chapter in the history of Hungary.”

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