Hungary’s parliamentary election on April 12 ended with a victory for the Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. As a result, Viktor Orbán, who served as Hungary’s prime minister for 16 years, will now lead the opposition.
Details
Péter Magyar’s Tisza party won Hungary’s parliamentary election, according to results published by the country’s National Election Office after 98.93% of votes were counted.
Tisza received 69.35% of the vote. Hungary’s parliament has 199 seats, and 133 are needed for a constitutional majority. Tisza secured 138 mandates, surpassing that threshold.
Meanwhile, Fidesz, led by Viktor Orbán, also entered parliament. The party received 27.64% of the vote and won 55 seats. In third place came the Our Homeland Movement, led by László Toroczkai, with 3.02% of the vote and 6 seats.
Voter turnout reached a record 79.5% on April 12.
Magyar’s speech and Orbán’s reaction
Péter Magyar, an opposition figure to Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz, addressed supporters after the victory and outlined the changes he plans to introduce in Hungary, Bloomberg reports. Magyar called on Hungary’s president, senior judges, and the chief prosecutor to resign.
“Those who betrayed the country must take responsibility” he said. He also added that he would “liberate Hungary and take back our country.”
At the same time, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had sought to keep Orbán in power for as long as possible. Due to his pro-Russian stance, Orbán often complicated EU decision-making. For instance, he blocked sanctions against Moscow and delayed financial support for Kyiv.
“Hungary will once again be a strong ally in the European Union and in NATO. Hungary’s place is, will be and has been in Europe for a thousand years,” Magyar said.
Viktor Orbán also commented on the election results, saying he would continue to serve Hungary from the opposition. He noted that 2.5 million voters supported Fidesz.
“The election result is painful, but clear. I congratulated the winning party,” Orbán said.
Reactions from world leaders
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Tisza on its victory and emphasized the importance of strengthening Hungary’s ties with Europe.
“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” she wrote on social media.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also highlighted future cooperation.
“Let’s join forces for a strong, secure and, above all, united Europe,” he wrote.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the election a historic moment and also stressed cooperation.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Magyar on his victory, while also thanking Orbán.
“I know that even from the opposition he will continue to serve his Nation,” Meloni said about Orbán.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Tisza’s victory as a constructive development and stressed that European countries must grow stronger together.
“Ukraine has always sought good-neighbourly relations with everyone in Europe and we are ready to advance our cooperation with Hungary,” he wrote.
What Tisza’s victory means for Ukraine
Magyar is likely to unblock an EU loan for Ukraine that Hungary vetoed in December 2025. The package is worth €90 billion. According to Politico, Magyar may lift the veto to improve relations with Brussels. However, he opposes sending Hungarian weapons or direct financial aid to Kyiv.
At the same time, Magyar does not support Ukraine’s fast-track accession to the EU. He plans to put the issue to a referendum, which could effectively stall the process given anti-Ukrainian sentiment among Hungarian voters. Politico notes that Magyar will need to take these views into account if he wants to maintain public support.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Ukraine and Germany are strengthening air defense and drone development ahead of the Ramstein meeting scheduled for April 15.
