Dresden, GERMANY – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was just ousted by voters, was annoying, provocative and pushed the European Commission’s patience to its limits.
Commissioners often delayed votes until he left the room for the toilet. If anyone is breathing a sigh of relief after this week’s election in Hungary, it is likely the EU and its member states.
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Orbán and his party Fidesz suffered a historic defeat this week by Péter Magyar, his opponent from the Tisza party. Orbán did not just lose to the opposition figure and ex-husband of his former justice minister – Magyar even managed to secure a two-thirds majority in the Hungarian parliament, crucial for potentially rolling back constitutional reforms passed under Orbán.
With this change in Hungary, the EU may finally be able to exhale a little bit. In recent years, Orbán caused considerable conflict, tension, concern, and failed deals within the European Parliament and the Commission.
Most recently, The Washington Post reported that Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, had allegedly spoken with Russia’s leadership during EU summits and passed on information.
The news was explosive, even though Hungary had already been known as the Russian problem child.
Orbán had not only initially agreed to a €90 billion – about $105 billion in U.S. dollars – EU aid package for Ukraine and then rejected it again, but had also repeatedly railed against the EU as an external imposition and anti-Hungarian institution for years.
In doing so, he portrayed the EU and “the West” as warmongers, stoked fears during the campaign of a possible entanglement of Hungary in the war in the neighboring country, maintained Russian energy imports and threatened to block Ukraine’s potential EU accession.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s mocking face appeared repeatedly in campaign ads in recent weeks, with Ukraine selected as one of the main adversaries in the Orbán re-election campaign.
Both America and Russia supported Orbán’s campaign. U.S. Vice President JD Vance traveled to Hungary personally to support the Hungarian leader, while The Washington Post reported alleged support from Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, for the campaign.
According to the newspaper’s report, the agency had even proposed a month ago staging an assassination attempt against Orbán in order to emotionally reinforce his victim narrative.
Through several constitutional changes – such as installing a “winner takes it all” system similar to that of the United States – Orbán managed for some time to cement his power. Now, however, this very system has turned against him and granted the opposition a massive majority.
Magyar triumphed last Sunday and Hungary and the EU are celebrating a new future without the troublemaker and autocrat Orbán.
That is, at least, the hope.
In a press conference, Magyar assured the European Union that Hungary would in the future be a constructive partner, ready to contribute to compromise decisions within the EU. He also announced initial steps against corruption, stated that the system of separation of powers would be restored, and that he would work in the coming years for a “free, European, functioning, and humane Hungary.”
Magyar does not intend to block aid to Ukraine.
Magyar focused less on radical reform during the campaign and more on the rule of law, placing emphasis on the corrupt system of the Fidesz party, which had ceased to function domestically in Hungary.
Magyar presents himself as conciliatory, explaining that the goal is to eliminate the criminal excesses of the past era rather than persecute those who think differently. He characterizes Orbán’s political agenda as “North Korean propaganda.”
But what happens next?
Across the rest of the EU, there is a mix of cautious euphoria and comfort at being able to keep Orbán’s anti-European sentiment out of the Council of the European Union.
And at the same time?
This election is by no means a victory against the right.
While German Chancellor Friedrich Merz celebrated, calling the Hungarian election result a success against right-wing populism, the numbers paint a different picture.
Social Democrats, Greens, Liberals, and the Left have been completely eliminated from parliament, holding zero seats.
Magyar’s victory is less the result of an ideological shift than of a general dissatisfaction among Hungarians.
The incoming leader does not intend to change Hungary’s highly debated immigration policy, nor is there much enthusiasm on issues such as climate protection or the Mercosur deal, which is important for Germany and Italy. Above all, he has promised Hungarians economic recovery through greater cooperation and professionalism with the EU and the resulting release of frozen EU funds.
More than €18 billion, or $21.2 billion U.S. is currently blocked, much of it tied to the EU budget from 2021 to 2027. Hungary has already lost more than €1 billion because it failed to implement the judicial reforms toward greater rule of law demanded by the EU within the required timeframe.
In theory, the European Commission could release the funds immediately once it officially confirms that Hungary meets EU standards. But there are increasing calls within the EU to tie the disbursement of these funds to concrete conditions and actions.
Orbán’s time in office left its mark on the EU.
“We must draw lessons from 16 years of the Orbán regime,” said Valérie Hayer, a French member of the European Parliament, according to reports by the German news program ‘Tagesschau.’ “The European Union must rethink unanimity rules, restrict veto rights in sensitive areas, and equip itself with stronger instruments to defend its integrity.”
Hungary’s election will have a major impact on the future of the EU, and despite all caution, Orbán’s mere absence should be reason enough for relief in Europe, at least among those who opposed him.
Lina Marie Schulenkorf is a Correspondent with Youth Journalism International.
