Peter Magyar's Tisza Party Defeats Viktor Orbán, Ending 16 Years in Power

Hungary's 16-year Viktor Orbán era ended as opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party secured a landslide victory.

“Who is the David who challenges Goliath in the vote that could change the country after 16 years”

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Orbán just called to congratulate us on our victory.

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Partial official results showed Tisza at 52.49 percent and Fidesz at 38.83 percent.

Turnout was more than 77 percent, a record in Hungary's post-Communist history.

Magyar's party was projected to win more than 130 mandates, enough for a two-thirds majority.

Orbán conceded defeat, calling the result painful but clear.

Turnout was unprecedented, with more than 77 percent of eligible voters casting ballots.

This surpassed the 2022 figure of 69.5 percent and the 1990 record of 65.1 percent.

African Manager

The high turnout was particularly notable among young voters and in medium-sized cities.

CBS News reported voters motivated by a desire to see Hungary become a European country.

The Clean Voting Coalition received reports of irregularities including vote-buying.

Fidesz's Gergely Gulyás said he was not seeing irregularities that would raise questions.

European leaders swiftly reacted to Magyar's victory.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Hungary has chosen Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Magyar.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also congratulated Magyar.

The election was closely watched across Europe and beyond.

Magyar's projected two-thirds supermajority would allow the Tisza party to unravel key features of Orbán's illiberal democracy.

It could pave the way for Hungary to unblock €90 billion in EU aid to Ukraine.

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The opposition leader has pledged to claw back EU payouts in record time.

The election delivers a painful blow to Trump’s MAGA movement.