Hungary Vote Sees Péter Magyar Score Landslide, Ending Orbán Rule

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1457 EAT on Monday 13 April 2026

The 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán has come to an end, as a system widely criticised as an “electoral autocracy” collapsed following a decisive election defeat.

The outcome marks a dramatic political shift, driven by Péter Magyar, a 45-year-old former insider who rallied a majority of voters behind a call for change.

“We did it,” Magyar told cheering supporters gathered along the River Danube, with Budapest’s संसद building visible across the water. “Together, we have overthrown the Hungarian regime.”

Preliminary results, based on more than 98% of votes counted, show Magyar’s Tisza party on course for a commanding 138 seats in parliament. Orbán’s Fidesz party is projected to secure 55 seats, while the far-right Our Homeland party is expected to win six.

The landslide victory is expected not only to enable Péter Magyar to reverse many of Viktor Orbán’s increasingly unpopular domestic policies, but also to reshape Hungary’s foreign policy direction.

During his time in power, Orbán cultivated close ties with Donald Trump — highlighted by a campaign-season visit from US Vice-President JD Vance — as well as with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His government frequently clashed with the European Union and maintained a contentious stance towards Ukraine.

Magyar, by contrast, campaigned on a platform of distancing Hungary from Moscow while pursuing closer and more cooperative relations with both the European Union and Ukraine.

For two years, Péter Magyar took his growing movement across villages, town squares and major cities, mobilising voters frustrated by what they saw as entrenched cronyism and corruption under years of Viktor Orbán’s rule.

“Never before in the history of democratic Hungary have so many people voted — and no single party has ever received such a strong mandate,” Magyar said on Sunday night, after a record 79.5% voter turnout.

Orbán’s grip on power, built over four successive election victories and commanding parliamentary majorities, unravelled swiftly as early results made clear the scale of his defeat.

Word quickly spread among Magyar’s supporters, and at a nearby hotel serving as the party headquarters, activists from the Tisza movement embraced as celebrations broke out.

Péter Magyar has pledged to roll back key policies introduced under the Orbán era, including reforms in education and healthcare, while also tackling corruption and restoring the independence of the judiciary.

He has further vowed to dismantle the widely criticised system of patronage known as NER, which opponents say enriched political loyalists and diverted state resources for partisan gain under the government of Viktor Orbán.

Péter Magyar had urged his supporters to prepare for a change of government, and as results confirmed the shift, celebrations erupted across Budapest, with champagne flowing and spontaneous street gatherings.

Cars honked their horns throughout the capital as supporters waved Hungarian flags from open sunroofs, marking a night of jubilant scenes.

Many of Magyar’s backers are not traditional supporters of the opposition. Some had previously supported the government of Viktor Orbán before turning to Magyar amid growing disillusionment.

“He’s someone you cannot be absolutely sure of,” said Ágnes, a lawyer, speaking to the BBC. “But we’ve reached a point where we need to hope for something better, which he promises — and we truly hope his promises come true.”

The scale of the victory marks one of the most dramatic political turnarounds in Hungary’s modern history, bringing an abrupt end to years of dominance by Viktor Orbán and ushering in a new and uncertain era under Péter Magyar.

While supporters celebrate what they see as a long-awaited political reset, the challenges ahead remain significant, with expectations high and divisions still deeply rooted across Hungarian society.