Magyar set to outline Hungary plans after resounding victory over Orbán – Europe live
Morning opening: Change of regime, not just government
Jakub Krupa
Good morning from Budapest, as the city reluctantly and not without some difficulties wakes up from the celebrations the night before, which went on to 5am and beyond.
With 98.94% of votes counted, Péter Magyar’s Tisza party is projected to get 138 seats in the new parliament, with just 55 for Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz and six for the far-right Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) party.
These numbers mean that the new government will have the critical two-thirds majority (133 or more seats) required to comprehensively overhaul the country’s laws, creating a real chance to genuinely break with the Orbán era.
Or, as András Bíró-Nagy of Policy Solutions put it to me,
“Because if [they have] the constitutional super-majority, this is when he can do a change of regime, and not only a change of government … then dismantling the Orbán regime is really possible, meaning that both the economic and the political capture of the [Orbán] regime could be adressed with the two-thirds majority.”
We are going to hear from Magyar again today as he is expected to give a press conference to offer a more detailed reaction to the vote and talk about his plans for the new administration.
Separately, we should also hear from the team of international observers who monitored the vote as they present their early findings.
And, well, we are still waiting for any reaction from the White House. Donald Trump and JD Vance had so much to say about the election before it happened, but are uncharacteristically quiet since last night.
It’s Monday, 13 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events
Magyar says his government will work for ‘free, European’ Hungary
Despite late night celebrations, it does not look like Peter Magyar has had a chance to lie in a bit longer today.
Earlier this morning, he thanked the voters once again on his Facebook, saying:
“Thanks to every Hungarian at home and across the world!
It is a huge honour that you have empowered us with the most votes ever to form a government and to work for a free, European, well-functioning and compassionate Hungary over the next four years. The Tisza government will be the government of every Hungarian person.”
Orbán allies in Czech Republic, Slovakia congratulate Magyar with praise for Orbán
Meanwhile, the Slovak prime minister Robert Fico and the Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš, two close political allies of Viktor Orbán, congratulated Peter Magyar on his win in yesterday’s election.
Fico, who worked closely with Orbán as they repeatedly clashed with Ukraine together over the issue of Russian energy imports, said on Facebook he was “ready for intensive cooperation with the new Hungarian prime minister,” while he also expressed his “gratitude” to the ousted prime minister.
Babiš said Magyar “must not disappoint”, and pledged to “always work constructively with whoever voters choose”.
“Facing such a strong opponent as Viktor Orbán was never easy, yet [Magyar] earned the trust of the majority of Hungarians and carries great hopes and expectations,” he noted.
Magyar’s win sends ‘very clear signal against right-wing populism,’ Germany’s Merz says
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, German chancellor Friedrich Merz praised Péter Magyar’s win over Viktor Orbán as “a good day,” sending “a very clear signal against right-wing populism.”
“Hungary has sent a very clear signal against right-wing populism across the whole world. In that respect, [yesterday Sunday’s election day] was… a good day,” Merz said in comments reported by Reuters.
He said that decision-making process in the EU, including on things to do with Russia, should get easier as a result of the vote.
He also praised the resilience of the Hungarian society against attempts to interfere with the vote.
“This [win] demonstrates that our democratic societies are evidently much more resilient against Russian propaganda and further external interference in such elections,” said Merz.
(No prizes for guessing what other “further external interference” he might have been thinking of there, just days after JD Vance’s not-so-subtle visit to Budapest…)
Morning opening: Change of regime, not just government
Jakub Krupa
Good morning from Budapest, as the city reluctantly and not without some difficulties wakes up from the celebrations the night before, which went on to 5am and beyond.
With 98.94% of votes counted, Péter Magyar’s Tisza party is projected to get 138 seats in the new parliament, with just 55 for Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz and six for the far-right Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) party.
These numbers mean that the new government will have the critical two-thirds majority (133 or more seats) required to comprehensively overhaul the country’s laws, creating a real chance to genuinely break with the Orbán era.
Or, as András Bíró-Nagy of Policy Solutions put it to me,
“Because if [they have] the constitutional super-majority, this is when he can do a change of regime, and not only a change of government … then dismantling the Orbán regime is really possible, meaning that both the economic and the political capture of the [Orbán] regime could be adressed with the two-thirds majority.”
We are going to hear from Magyar again today as he is expected to give a press conference to offer a more detailed reaction to the vote and talk about his plans for the new administration.
Separately, we should also hear from the team of international observers who monitored the vote as they present their early findings.
And, well, we are still waiting for any reaction from the White House. Donald Trump and JD Vance had so much to say about the election before it happened, but are uncharacteristically quiet since last night.
It’s Monday, 13 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.