Viktor Orbán concedes defeat after 16 years as Hungary's leader

VIKTOR ORBÁN HAS conceded defeat in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, meaning the country is set to get a new leader for the first time since 2010. 

This was a hugely important election for Hungary, where Orbán has led his so-called ‘illiberal democracy’ for the past 16 years.

He conceded defeat just after 8.30pm Irish-time on Sunday night, ringing his opponent, Péter Magyar, to congratulate him on his victory. Orbán described the defeat as “painful”.

“The election results, though not yet final, are clear and understandable; for us, they are painful but unambiguous,” said Orban. 

“We have not been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to govern.”

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen hailed the Orbán defeat, saying, “Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight”. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin congratulated Magyar and his Tisza party on their victory and said he looked forward to working with him to strengthen relations between Hungary and Ireland. 

Magyar is a conservative political newcomer and a former government insider who has promised a “system change”.

Orbán has been the closest EU ally for both US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin during his time in office.

During his tenure, his ruling coalition used its two-thirds majority in parliament to overhaul the central European country’s electoral and political systems, with a rule characterised by authoritarianism and democratic backsliding.

State resources were leveraged for campaigning to keep Orbán in power, while his business allies radically changed the media environment.

But a lagging economy and a desire by many Hungarians for a better relationship with the EU have seen support for the current government slip.

“Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary,” Ursula von der Leyen said in her statement after the result. “A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger.”

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Hungary’s new leader

European diplomats, lawmakers and analysts have cautioned Magyar’s win might not bring the overhaul in EU relations many would like to see.

A pro-European conservative who currently sits in the EU parliament, Magyar is a former government insider who hails from the same ideological camp as Orbán. 

He focused his campaign on turning around what Transparency International deems the EU’s most corrupt country but, like Orbán, he rejects sending arms to Ukraine and opposes the country’s quick EU integration.

Donnacha Ó Beacháin, professor of politics at Dublin City University, told The Journal that a new Tisza-led government would have to rebuild institutional credibility within Hungary.

“In a worst-case scenario, you could end up with Orbánism without Orbán,” he said.

“Péter Magyar is not a traditional liberal opposition figure. Many oppositionists are voting for him because of who he is not (Orbán) rather than for who he is – an ex-member of the Fidesz political elite.

“Therefore, it’s probably realistic to expect a recalibration rather than a full ideological reversal,” Ó Beacháin explained.

That said, Ó Beacháin said a government led by Péter Magyar would likely de-escalate conflicts with EU institutions and see Hungary engage more constructively with the bloc.

“The democratic backsliding that has been the hallmark of Orbán’s long reign is unlikely to be reversed overnight, even assuming there is a willingness to do so,” Ó Beacháin.

The turnout in the election was a record high: it had reached 77.8% thirty minutes before polls closed this evening, above the previous record of 70.5% set in 2002. 

Both camps made allegations of foreign interference during the campaign. US vice president JD Vance visited Budapest earlier this week to rally with Orbán.

With reporting by Jane Matthews and AFP 

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