Magyar Declares Victory In Hungarian Election, Pledging Regime Change And A Pro-European Shift

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, has declared victory in the Hungarian parliamentary elections, pledging a complete regime change that ends outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's tenure and resets the country's strained relations with the European Union.

In a lengthy press conference on Monday, Magyar announced that“Hungarians have voted for a complete regime change,” promising a government that represents all citizens. He outlined plans to amend the constitution to limit any future prime minister to two terms, an action that would effectively prevent Orban from returning to power.

Magyar called on President Tamas Sulyok to resign and urged him to convene the parliament's inaugural session as soon as possible. The election result could become final by May 4, with the Tisza party projected to secure up to 141 or 142 lawmakers once approximately 400,000 votes from abroad are counted.

The defeat of Orban, who for years acted as an obstacle to key EU policies, was welcomed by European leaders as an opportunity for radical change after years of tension. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on the social media platform X:“The heart of Europe beats stronger in Hungary tonight.” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola added:“Hungary's place is at the heart of Europe.”

Magyar committed to making Hungary a“constructive partner” within the EU, a sharp contrast to Orban's confrontational stance in Brussels. The incoming government aims to unlock approximately 20bn euros in frozen EU funds, acknowledging tight deadlines to secure certain allocations, including a 10bn euro grant package requiring action by the end of August. Hungary is also currently working to secure 16bn euros in rearmament loans.

As part of a broader economic overhaul, Magyar stated it is in Hungary's interest to eventually join the Eurozone. A target date will be set following a brief consultation and a clarification of the country's financial situation. He also outlined plans to establish separate ministries for health, education, and finance, noting that the budget requires review. He stressed the importance of co-operation between monetary and fiscal authorities while respecting the central bank's independence.

Identifying anti-corruption as a top priority, Magyar announced plans to launch a new oversight office covering the entire government sector by June. The incoming administration will review all public procurement contracts exceeding 10bn forints (approximately $32m), holding the mandate to renegotiate or terminate them.“We will restore the system of checks and balances,” he said, ensuring all actions follow the law.

On foreign policy, Magyar's Tisza party adopted a friendlier tone toward the EU and NATO. However, his approach to Ukraine and Russia remains cautious. Magyar stated that“everyone knows that Ukraine is the victim in this war,” expressing hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be forced to end the conflict soon, and noting no country can demand another cede territory.

Despite this, Magyar opposes Ukraine's rapid accession to the EU, insisting all candidate countries be treated equally and ruling out a referendum on the matter“within the next decade.” He also set the restoration of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine as a fundamental precondition for any broader rebuilding of bilateral relations.

Regarding a 90bn euro EU loan to Ukraine, reports from the New York Times suggested the new leadership is expected to pave the way for its approval after the Orban government blocked it in February, citing Ukraine's slow repair of a Russian fuel pipeline. Conversely, Magyar confirmed Hungary's withdrawal from the loan during his address, stating the issue was settled last December.

Magyar's approach to Moscow will seek“pragmatic relations” while maintaining clear boundaries. Welcoming a Kremlin statement that acknowledged the election result, Magyar said he would not call Putin, but would ask him to stop the war if they ever spoke. Acknowledging that Hungary cannot“change its geography,” he noted the country remains heavily reliant on Russian energy. The government will review and potentially terminate related contracts while striving to diversify energy sources, while keeping the option to import from Russia open.

Regionally, Magyar plans to visit Poland in early May to rebuild historically close ties. He pledged to extradite two Polish politicians currently in Hungary, asserting the country will not harbour internationally wanted criminals, and aims to build alliances with all neighbouring nations.

The transition of power marks the end of Orban's Fidesz government, which ran an anti-EU and anti-Ukraine campaign featuring derogatory billboards of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blaming him and the EU for rising unemployment. Under Orban, Hungary was viewed as a security concern due to its relatively close ties with the Kremlin; European media recently reported that members of Orban's government shared information from sensitive EU meetings with Russia.

Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, told the New York Times that the election result“constitutes a turning point for Europe.” Eric Maurice, an analyst at the European Policy Centre, noted that the absence of Orban's“systematic blackmail” will make things easier.“But this does not mean things will be easy,” Maurice added, pointing to Magyar's opposition to certain EU migration policies and the reality that Hungary remains one voice among divided member states.

During the campaign, the Orban camp repeatedly claimed without evidence that the EU was interfering in the election. The accusation was echoed by US Vice President J.D. Vance, who visited Budapest last week and accused Brussels of“one of the worst examples of election interference ever.”

EU officials denied the allegations and avoided commenting during the election to prevent reinforcing the narrative. Stephane Sejourne, vice president of the European Commission, remarked last week:“I always find it bizarre that a vice president of the European Commission cannot comment on the elections, while the American vice president comments on the elections and the campaign.”

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