Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister long dubbed ‘the European Trump’, suffered a crushing defeat in the general election held on the 12th (local time). With the 16-year rule of a pro-Trump, pro-Russia government coming to an end, changes are expected not only within Hungary but also in its relations with the United States, Russia, and the European Union (EU).

According to the National Election Committee of Hungary, with 98% of votes counted, the opposition Tisza secured 138 of the 199 seats, winning by a landslide. The ruling Fidesz won only 55 seats. Orban acknowledged defeat, saying, “The election result is painful but clear. I extend congratulations to the winning party.”

The outcome is interpreted as driven by a public judgment that the long-ruling, corruption-ridden Orban administration needed to be replaced. More than 77% of registered voters turned out, the highest in Hungary since 1989, and the British daily the Guardian analyzed that young voters opposed to Orban appeared to have rallied. There were also readings that deteriorating economic conditions, including rising prices and declining quality of public services, strengthened the impetus to hold the government to account.

Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, has been on the scene as an anti-government challenger for only two years, but he is credited with uniting centrist and conservative voters by pledging to root out corruption and carry out sweeping reforms. Tisza surpassed the ‘magic number’ of 133 seats needed to independently advance political and social system reforms, securing 138 seats and signaling a transformation of Hungarian politics. However, given that the government, media, and judiciary are filled with loyalists of Fidesz, which has ruled for 16 years, some expect the pace of reform to be slow.

Because Prime Minister Orban cozied up to Russia and repeatedly obstructed EU policies such as sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine, the election also drew attention as having the character of a proxy contest between Russia and the EU. As Magyar campaigned on a pledge of ‘returning to Europe’ in contrast to Orban, changes are expected in the policy course of Hungary, which had been at odds with the EU. Once his victory was confirmed, Magyar stated, “Hungary will be a strong ally of the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).”

European leaders uniformly welcomed the news of the victory of Tisza. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “Tonight, the heart of Europe is beating more strongly in Hungary,” and, “A country has found its way back to Europe, and the EU has become stronger.” There were also enthusiastic reactions such as, “a historic moment for European democracy” (UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer) and “a result that shows how much the Hungarian people value the values of the EU and the role of Hungary in Europe” (French President Emmanuel Macron).

The Hungarian election outcome is also expected to have considerable repercussions for the ‘far-right wave’ that has shaken Europe. Orban had become a symbol of right-wing populism and was regarded as a role model for the US ‘MAGA’ (Make America Great Again) movement and far-right forces in Europe, and CNN assessed that “this defeat shows that populism ultimately reaches a dead end.”

It is also being assessed that the US administration of Donald Trump, which has openly supported Prime Minister Orban, cannot avoid a blow. Despite the war with Iran being in full swing, President Trump wrote on social media urging support for Prime Minister Orban and even sent Vice President J D Vance directly to Hungary to back him, but it had little effect. Some also view this as evidence that the influence of President Trump on far-right parties in Europe, which had been bolstered amid deteriorating public opinion over the Iran war, has weakened.

The Associated Press reported that, “The way Prime Minister Orban stayed in power for 16 years by using government authority to twist the media, the judiciary, and even the electoral system is very similar to the policy orientation of President Trump,” adding, “Because President Trump and many conservatives in the United States have long supported Prime Minister Orban, his defeat will bring significant repercussions in the United States.”