Hungary’s Shock Upset: Orbán Out After 16 Years as Peter Magyar Wins Supermajority

Hungary’s political system experienced a historic jolt this morning (Monday), after the release of near-final results for the parliamentary elections: the opposition party led by Peter Magyar won 138 seats out of 199 — a majority of more than two-thirds.

The veteran prime minister Viktor Orbán, who ruled the country for 16 years, conceded defeat and congratulated his rival: "The election results, even though they are not yet final, are clear and understandable, painful for us but unequivocal. The opportunity and responsibility to form a government were not given to us, and I congratulated the winning party." He later added: "We will continue to serve our homeland and the Hungarian people even from the opposition, 2.5 million voters will not be abandoned." "We never give up." His spokesperson said that Orbán even called Magyar personally to congratulate him.

Magyar, who for the first time posed a real threat to Orbán’s rule, expressed optimism as soon as the polls closed: "We are optimistic about the vote; the turnout shows that Hungarians understand these are important elections. More than six million people voted. Hungarians made history again today."

Magyar further declared that he intends to make deep changes to the system of government, and called on senior officials of the institutions to resign: "Our independent institutions were taken hostage for 16 years; we will restore checks and balances. Hungary will be a strong member of NATO and the European Union."

French President Emmanuel Macron offered his congratulations: "France welcomes the Hungarian people’s embrace of the values of the European Union." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also congratulated: "Today Hungary chose Europe." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed hope for cooperation "for a united, strong, and secure Europe." In Israel, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar congratulated Magyar and thanked Orbán: "We look forward to continuing to work together to further strengthen the good relations between our two countries and to expand cooperation in various fields. We thank Viktor Orbán and his government for their friendship and for their steadfast support for Israel and Jewish life during challenging times."

The election results could affect Hungary’s relations with Israel and the European Union. Orbán has been considered one of Israel’s closest allies, and even hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the issuance of an international arrest warrant against him—despite Hungary’s obligations as a member of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Subsequently, his government even decided to withdraw from membership in the court. Now, with the change in power, Hungary faces a possible shift in political direction—both at home and abroad.