Hungary’s opposition wins landslide, unseating one of Putin’s closest allies in Europe
Hungary’s opposition Tisza party has won a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections, taking 53.07 percent of the vote with 98.9 percent of ballots counted. Preliminary results give the party 138 of 199 seats — a constitutional majority that would allow it to amend the country’s fundamental law.
The ruling Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took 38.43 percent, securing 55 seats. The far-right Our Homeland Movement won six seats with 5.83 percent of the vote, while two parties failed to clear the five-percent threshold. Voter turnout reached a record 79.5 percent.
Orbán conceded defeat just three hours after polls closed, congratulating Tisza leader Péter Magyar. “I congratulated the victorious party. We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well,” he told supporters in Budapest, calling the result “painful, but unambiguous.”
Speaking to tens of thousands of supporters on April 13, Magyar declared that “truth prevailed over lies.” “Today, we won because Hungarians didn’t ask what their homeland could do for them — they asked what they could do for their homeland. You found the answer. And you followed through,” he said, adding that Hungary had “said yes to Europe.”
European leaders were quick to respond. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Hungary “returns to its European path.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Magyar while thanking her “friend” Orbán for years of cooperation. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the result “historic,” saying it marked a turning point “not only for Hungary, but for European democracy.” Messages of congratulations also came from French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who wrote in Hungarian: “Russians, go home.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also congratulated Magyar, saying Kyiv was ready to deepen cooperation with Budapest “for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe.”
In contrast, the current U.S. administration had publicly backed Orbán ahead of the vote. Donald Trump said he would “invest” in Hungary’s “Prosperity” if Orbán remained in power, while Vice President J. D. Vance traveled to Hungary shortly before the election to voice support for the prime minister.
Orbán has long been seen as one of Vladimir Putin’s closest partners in Europe. The Financial Times reported that the Kremlin had approved an information campaign aimed at boosting Fidesz ahead of the vote — a claim Moscow denied. One Meduza source said there was no direct management of Orbán’s campaign from the presidential administration, but acknowledged “assistance” with social media efforts.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow wouldn’t congratulate Magyar on his victory, as it “doesn’t send congratulations to unfriendly countries.” (This didn’t stop Putin from congratulating Orbán on his election win in 2022.) At the same time, he said the Kremlin “respects” the choice of Hungarian voters and expects to maintain “pragmatic” relations with the country’s new leadership.
In an interview on the eve of the election, Magyar addressed how he would approach relations with Russia. He said Hungary would have to maintain dialogue with Moscow given geography and continued energy dependence, even as it works to diversify. “If necessary, we will negotiate — but we will not be friends,” he said, adding that Hungarians want a “pro-Hungarian,” not “pro-Ukrainian,” government.
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