Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has led Hungary for the past 16 years, conceded defeat Sunday evening to opposition leader Peter Magyar after about 50% of the votes had been counted, showing Magyar's Tisza party with a large lead over Orban's Fidesz.
Even so, one central question remained unresolved: whether Magyar will secure the majority needed to approve changes to the constitution reshaped by Orban over the past 16 years. Hungary's 199-member parliament is elected through a mixed system, with 106 seats decided in district races and the rest allocated from national party lists. Fidesz is believed to hold an advantage in the districts, a factor that could prove critical to the future government's ability to govern.
Excited crowds of Magyar supporters gathered outside the parliament building awaiting the voting results, which may not be announced until deep into the night.
"The country's infrastructure is rotten, racism is at an unprecedented level, there has to be change. I hope the final results will go our way, otherwise there will be an atmosphere of despair and chaos here," Regina, who also came to the scene, told Israel Hayom.
Shortly after the polls closed, Magyar said "the Hungarians made history again," adding that voter turnout showed the public viewed this election as critical.
Who is Peter Magyar?
Peter Magyar, a 45-year-old lawyer, grew up in Budapest in a family of lawyers. As a child, he even hung a photograph on his bedroom wall of a young Orban, then one of the leading figures in the democratic struggle against communism.
Magyar emerged from the very heart of Orban's camp and was married to former Justice Minister Judit Varga, who was forced to resign following a corruption scandal. In 2024, he left Fidesz and became the opposition candidate under the slogan "Fidesz without corruption."
His campaign focused on Hungarians' core problems, including the cost of living, and the collapse of the health care and education systems, along with a promise to return Hungary to the European mainstream.
Who is Viktor Orban?
Viktor Orban, 62, is one of the most veteran and consequential figures in European politics. He rose to prominence in the late 1980s as one of Fidesz's founders and one of the heroes of the fall of communism, and first served as prime minister from 1998 to 2002.
Since returning to power in 2010, he has described his system of rule as an "illiberal democracy," become known for his opposition to accepting migrants from the Middle East, and led Europe's right wing in opposing European Union policy.
