Viktor Orbán lost the Hungarian parliamentary election by a margin of 15 points, with his Fidesz party claiming 55 seats compared to Magyar's 138, according to multiple reports. The Tisza party's win of 138 of parliament's 199 seats gives it a super-majority, enabling significant legislative changes. Orbán called challenger Péter Magyar and congratulated him on the victory, an official statement confirmed. This election, seen as the most consequential since 1990, occurred after most polls suggested Orbán and Fidesz could lose power, marking the biggest challenge to his rule in 16 years.
Despite his concession, questions remain about Orbán's potential efforts to retain influence. According to SVT Nyheter, Viktor Orbán described his party as heading for victory and another term in power prior to the vote. After the election, Hungary's parliament, which currently has a two-thirds majority for Fidesz, can remain seated for up to a month, giving Orbán a window to retain power even in case of a loss, according to Anders Blomqvist, an expert on Hungary at Dalarna University. Blomqvist outlined scenarios where the current president resigns, parliament is convened, the constitution is amended, and Orbán is appointed president, or where Fidesz could modify the presidential role to give the president greater influence. According to SVT Nyheter, Anders Blomqvist described Orbán as considering a plan B in case of election loss and would not be surprised if a backlash for democracy occurs.
Orbán is clear that his party Fidesz is heading for victory and another term in power.
Orbán's defeat reshapes Hungary's geopolitical stance, as the country has become a hotspot where the interests of great powers converge in Europe. With his close ties to Vladimir Putin, Orbán became known for blocking EU support packages to Ukraine and hindering sanctions against Russia, official sources reported. Orbán's foreign minister regularly briefed Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about key EU decisions, and his government admitted to providing a backchannel to Russia during EU summits, multiple reports indicate. Orbán also attracted the backing of Donald Trump, met with him at the White House to shore up ties, and received an exemption from US sanctions on Russia. He has good relations with several European right-wing nationalist leaders and the Trump administration, which entered the election campaign with JD Vance visiting Budapest to back Orbán.
International reactions to the election result were swift and largely celebratory among Western allies. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Magyar on what he called an overwhelming election victory and stated that it is important that a constructive approach prevails. According to Sveriges Radio Nyheter, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard described the election as a very good day for Europe and suggested that a different Hungary is needed that works with and for the EU. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called for swift progress in restoring EU-Hungary ties after Magyar's victory. EU leaders praised Magyar's victory as a win for European values, and Magyar received congratulatory calls from Emmanuel Macron, Mark Rutte, Friedrich Merz, and Ursula von der Leyen.
Anders Blomqvist is convinced that Orbán is considering a plan B in case of election loss and would not be surprised if there is a backlash for democracy after the election.
Péter Magyar, the incoming prime minister, is a 45-year-old trained lawyer born in Budapest who became involved early in Fidesz when it was still an opposition party. He is a former member of Fidesz who broke away in 2024 after a scandal involving a presidential pardon. Magyar broke with the party after it was revealed that Hungary's president and his wife, who was justice minister, participated in pardoning a deputy director of an orphanage who had been sentenced to prison for helping cover up a pedophilia scandal where the orphanage director exploited several minors.
The campaign was marked by sharp accusations and concerns over media control. Orbán accused Magyar of colluding with foreign intelligence and threatening violence, while Magyar accused Fidesz of election fraud, criminal acts, and disinformation. Orbán controls an estimated 80% of Hungary's media, and the country ranks 68th in Reporters Without Borders' press freedom index for 2025, reflecting the constrained environment for independent journalism.
Ukraine's President Zelenskyj has congratulated Magyar on 'the overwhelming election victory' and stated that it is important that 'a constructive approach prevails'.
EU relations, strained under Orbán, may see a shift with Magyar's victory. The European Commission keeps roughly €17 billion frozen in funds for Hungary due to rule of law issues, and Hungary is deprived of €1 million in EU funds per day for asylum procedure restrictions.
Hungarians voted in this crucial election on Sunday, April 12, to elect a new parliament, with the outcome poised to end Orbán's long tenure. Veteran nationalist Orbán faced the biggest challenge to his rule in 16 years, and most polls suggested he could lose power. The election's significance lies in its potential to alter Hungary's domestic politics and its stance within the European Union.
Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard says about the election in Hungary: 'A very good day for Europe'.
Polling data in the lead-up to the election showed a consistent lead for the Tisza party. The centre-right Tisza party widened its lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's ruling Fidesz, according to research. A poll conducted by the 21 Research Centre showed Tisza, led by former government insider Péter Magyar, had the support of 56% of decided voters, up from 53% in early March, while 37% backed Fidesz, down from 39% three weeks ago, with 26% of respondents undecided. That poll, conducted between March 23 and 28 with a sample size of 1,500 and published by the news site 24.hu, showed 40% support for Tisza among all voters, with Fidesz backed by 28%. Another poll by Zavecz Research, conducted between March 24 and 28, showed Tisza widened its lead to 13 points among decided voters from 12 points in a February poll, with 51% supporting Tisza and 38% backing Fidesz, while 20% were undecided in a survey of 1,000 people. Both the 21 Research Centre and Zavecz Research are independent of political parties and gathered responses by phone calls and online questionnaires. According to a Politico analysis, Tisza currently has a 6-point lead over Fidesz, down from 10 points at the start of this year, and started to gain popularity in November 2024.
Despite these trends, uncertainties persisted in the polling landscape. The outcome of the polls remained uncertain due to many undecided voters and accusations that Orbán might turn the polls in his favour. While most polls have shown a Tisza lead, Fidesz points to other surveys that still show it on course to victory, though its opponents say these have mainly been conducted by institutes with financial or personal ties to the ruling party. Poll of Polls aggregates voting intention data from external polling firms, but may exclude polls that don't meet criteria on sample size, methodology, and/or transparency on funding and commissions.
'Everything suggests that we will now get a different Hungary because we need a Hungary that works with and for the EU'.
Campaign dynamics included notable youth mobilization and foreign involvement. Young people mobilized to vote against Orbán's government, and polls showed Orbán's performance dropped after JD Vance's visit. Support for Orbán dipped slightly after Vance's address in Budapest, according to betting markets.
US involvement in the campaign was explicit, with Vice President JD Vance urging Hungarians to vote for Viktor Orbán during a visit to Budapest. According to Daily Mail - News, JD Vance described Orbán as having done more than any leader in Europe to bring about a successful resolution to the war between Russia and Ukraine and accused the EU of attempting to rig the election.
Vance claimed Orbán had done more than any leader in Europe to bring about a successful resolution to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Corruption allegations also surfaced during the campaign, with drone footage showing a sprawling residence in northern Hungary belonging to the father of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Zebras from a neighboring property belonging to Orbán's best friend Lőrinc Mészáros were seen on the footage and became a symbol of corruption.
Hungary's political system under Orbán has been characterized as a modern autocracy. Under Orbán, Hungary has become a paradigmatic example of a very modern kind of autocracy that political scientists call 'competitive authoritarianism'. Hungarian elections are decidedly unfair, since they are structured to give the incumbent government so many advantages that the opposition should be almost incapable of winning. Orbán unveiled his plan for an 'illiberal democracy' in a 2014 speech in Romania, setting the tone for his governance model.
Vance accused the EU of attempting to rig the election.
Ursula von der Leyen called for swift progress in restoring EU-Hungary ties after Magyar's victory.