Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has conceded the election in Hungary, with the opposition Tisza party now set to win a two-thirds majority in parliament. His 16-year-long rule has now come to an end.
“I congratulate the winning party,” said Orbán. “The responsibility of governance was not given to us this time. Although the election results are not yet complete, it’s quite clear and understandable.”
“We do not know now what this election means for the fate of our country and the nation, but no matter how it turns out, we will serve our country,” he continued. “The task before us is clear; our job now is to strengthen our communities. 2.5 million voters trusted us, we will never let them down,” he said.
“We will never, never, never give up!” he added.
Pro-Brussels forces are already taking a victory lap and expressing their joy on social media, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailing the results.
“Hungary has chosen Europe… A country returns to its European path. The Union grows stronger,” she stated, adding: “Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight.”
Others aligned against Orbán, such as French President Emmanuel Macron, also celebrated the results.
Most beszéltem Magyar Péterrel, hogy gratuláljak neki a magyarországi győzelméhez!
Franciaország üdvözli a demokratikus részvétel győzelmét, a magyar nép ragaszkodását az Európai Unió értékeihez, valamint Magyarország európai elkötelezettségét.… pic.twitter.com/GXBxreTMSs
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 12, 2026Although only 60 percent of the votes are counted, the trendline is clear, with Orbán’s Fidesz party currently at approximately 38 percent of the vote versus Tisza’s 52 percent. The right-wing Our Homeland party is at 6 percent.
Peter Magyar also noted that Orbán had already called him.
“Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated us on our victory over the phone,” said Magyar.
The victory of Magyar is expected to have profound consequences not only for Hungary but for all of Europe. With his Tisza party associated with the European People’s Party (EPP) in the EU parliament, Magyar is expected to gain access to €20 billion in frozen EU funds. However, this money may come at a cost to Hungary’s sovereignty, with the country expected to be more deeply integrated into the European Union. Furthermore, despite campaign rhetoric, Magyar will be under pressure to adopt many of the pro-migration policies pursued by Brussels.
While the final vote has not been delivered, Magyar is on track for a two-thirds majority, which will give him the power to rewrite the constitution and reverse many of Orbán’s reforms over the years.
A Magyar-led Hungary is also expected to firmly place itself behind Ukraine, including allowing the multi-billion euro loan earmarked for Kyiv.
Orbán has been a vital conservative and populist force not only in Europe but also at the global level. His fierce resistance to mass migration, support for Christian values, and opposition to the war in Ukraine made him a black sheep, often at odds with far more powerful countries within the EU. There is now little doubt that with Orbán removed from power, the EU has a clearer path towards centralization moving forward.
Much of the conservative and anti-immigration faction in Europe is already reeling from the results.
“Looks like the last bastion is gone. The Hungarians are about to learn the true meaning of ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.’ And the rest of us in Europe have just lost our only real stronghold against the EU. Devastating,” wrote Dutch conservative activist and commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek.
Looks like the last bastion is gone.
The Hungarians are about to learn the true meaning of “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”
And the rest of us in Europe have just lost our only real stronghold against the EU.
Devastating. https://t.co/2jgk2dSBnS
— Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) April 12, 2026
