Last weekend’s election saw the highest voter turnout in Hungary since the fall of communism, as voters delivered a decisive result that ends Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power.
ALDE Party member Momentum made the tactical decision not to run in this election, ensuring that Peter Magyar’s Tisza party received the maximum number of votes. This move was aimed at boosting the chances of government change, marking a first step toward political renewal.
The Momentum party commented on the result:
"Congratulations to Tisza for the victory and hats off for the great work you did to achieve the success. Now let us rejoice, celebrate and get used to the intoxicating air of freedom! Then let us roll up our sleeves and build together a new, peaceful, functional, modern, European Hungary.”
Magyar won a supermajority of a projected 137 out of 199 seats, enabling Tisza to change the constitution and unravel the illiberal democracy that Orbán spent years building. This opens a new chapter focused on European unity, the rule of law and democratic freedoms.
Magyar claimed that “the regime is over” and that Hungary will return to being “a strong ally in the EU and NATO,” declaring that “Hungarians said yes to Europe today – they said yes to a free Hungary.”
For liberals, the political turnover is a significant step forward. By saying yes to the rule of law and democracy, Hungary also says yes to Europe. Future judicial reforms will prove crucial for removing Orbán’s influence.
Marking another setback for the populist far-right in Europe, the result is likely to send political shockwaves to Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, who had backed Orbán as their key European ally. Both leaders had openly supported Orbán’s campaign, with JD Vance speaking in Budapest last week, sparking accusations of foreign interference.
Despite this, the public had grown frustrated with Fidesz’s populist cronyism. Hungary struggles as one the EU’s worst-performing economies alongside corruption and high inflation. Magyar spoke directly to voter concerns instead of foreign policy debates and identity politics.
Leadership change allows EU member states to be more closely aligned, extending to veto powers – which Orbán exploited. European leaders will hope this ends the weaponisation of vetoes, which has blocked a €90 billion loan for Ukraine for months.
Despite liberals not contesting the election directly, Momentum's strategy to campaign heavily against Orbán contributed to a broader opposition victory. The result reflects a wider trend across Europe, where voters are increasingly challenging illiberal governance.
Read our liberal reactions to the news below: