Hungary election shock: Orban ousted as Magyar secures majority vote

With more than 98% of votes counted, opposition leader Peter Magyar has defeated Prime Minister Viktor Orban, ending his 16-year rule and reshaping Hungary’s political landscape. Magyar’s Tisza party won 138 of 199 seats in parliament, giving him a two-thirds majority that enables constitutional changes, while Orban’s Fidesz party secured just 55 seats.

The scale of Magyar’s victory gives his government the power to revise key laws enacted during Orban’s tenure and could pave the way for unlocking European Union funding. Magyar has pledged to repair relations with Brussels, tackle corruption, and increase investment in public services, saying voters “have rewritten Hungarian history.”

The outcome marks a significant shift away from Orban’s policies, which included a pro-Russia stance and tensions with Ukraine and the EU. European leaders quickly welcomed the result, with Emmanuel Macron praising a “return to European values,” while Keir Starmer and Olaf Scholz signaled readiness for renewed cooperation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also indicated Hungary could take a more aligned role within the bloc.

For Ukraine, the result could remove a key obstacle to European support. President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the outcome, which may ease the passage of EU assistance previously hindered by Budapest’s veto power.

In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid congratulated Magyar, calling the result proof that political change can be achieved democratically. His response contrasted with the lack of immediate reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar issued a statement congratulating the Tisza party and Magyar on their election victory in Hungary. Sa’ar said Israel looks forward to continuing cooperation with the new government and strengthening bilateral ties across areas of mutual interest. He also thanked outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his government for what he described as their “friendship and steady support of Israel and Jewish life in challenging times.”

US President Donald Trump has also not publicly commented on the result. Both Trump and Netanyahu maintained close ties with Orban, and their silence follows a wave of congratulations from Western leaders marking Hungary’s political transition.