Hungary's chance to transform EU comes down to one condition — Axios
Photo: Péter Magyar at a rally (Facebook/Péter Magyar)
Against the backdrop of his victory in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, where Péter Magyar currently holds a commanding lead over Viktor Orbán, analysts are speculating about his next move. Only one more victory, this time in parliament, will put Hungary back on the European path from which Orbán has led it astray, according to Axios.
According to preliminary data, over 80% of the votes have been counted, and Viktor Orbán has already conceded defeat. In parliament, Magyar’s Tisza party will receive 138 seats out of 199 (a constitutional majority).
According to Axios analysts, Magyar will now have to secure and consolidate his victory. So far, the Fidesz party holds 54 seats, and the count is not yet complete.
If Magyar’s party wins, it will be able to secure the votes needed to repeal some of the sweeping constitutional changes proposed by Orbán.
Why Orbán lost to Magyar
Axios believes a combination of factors played a role: 16 years in power, long-standing allegations of corruption within the government, and a protracted economic crisis. Added to this were constant conflicts with the European Union and a sense of the country’s isolation on the international stage.
Hungary election
Realizing he was losing to his young opponent, Viktor Orbán, with Moscow’s help, deployed an army of internet bots. Across all social media platforms, they bombarded voters with propaganda, scaring them with threats from Ukraine and the prospect of destabilization if the incumbent prime minister lost.
While the Kremlin supported Orbán behind the scenes, the Americans did so openly. US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Budapest, where he spoke in support of Orbán at a rally of his supporters. Donald Trump himself has repeatedly spoken highly of Orbán and promised Hungarians prosperity with US support in the event of his re-election.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico also offered his support to his neighbor. He publicly backed the Hungarian Prime Minister the day before the parliamentary elections began.
