Seismic shift: How 16 years of Hungarian politics changed in one day

According to the National Election Commission, with more than 96% of votes counted, the opposition Tisza Party is well on course to take a comfortable two-thirds majority of 138 seats in the 199-seat Hungarian Parliament.

According to the data, Viktor Orbán's Fidesz could retain 55 seats. And the far-right Our Homeland Movement is on course to enter Parliament as a third party with six.

More than 90,000 Hungarians cast their ballots at voting stations abroad while some 224,000 voted somewhere other than their official address. Those votes will be counted in the coming days meaning it will be a little while yet before 100% of the ballots are counted.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has hailed what he called a “historic moment” in a message of congratulations to Péter Magyar.

“I look forward to working with you for the security and prosperity of both our countries,” Starmer wrote on X.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed Péter Magyar’s “resounding victory” in Sunday’s elections, saying “it is important when constructive approach prevails.”

“Ukraine has always sought good-neighbourly relations with everyone in Europe and we are ready to advance our cooperation with Hungary,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

“We are ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe.”

Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro also sent his congratulations to Péter Magyar for his election win on Sunday.

“May this new stage, founded on broad democratic participation, allow for joint work in support of the European project and its fundamental values and principles,” Montenegro wrote in an X post.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held a speech at the electoral headquarters of his Fidesz party, where he conceded electoral defeat.

"It's clear that responsibility and opportunity to govern were not given to us," Orbán said. "I congratulated the winning party, and to you, I thank you for your work," Orbán said, adding that his party will serve Hungary in opposition.

"We have been here for over 30 years, we have lived together through difficult and easy, beautiful and sad years, but there is one thing that everyone in this room and throughout the country knows. We will never give up. We will never, never, never give up" Orbán said.

"These days that lie ahead of us are still about healing wounds, but then the work will start again, and in this work I count on everyone, all of you," he said.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in a post on X that, “Today Europe wins and European values win,” following Péter Magyar’s election victory.

“Congratulations to all Hungarian citizens for historic elections,” he wrote.

“Looking forward to working together...for a better future for all Europeans.” 

According to the National Election Commission, with more than 81% of the vote counted, the opposition Tisza Party is on course to take a two-third majority of 138 seats in the 199-seat Hungarian Parliament.

According to the data, Viktor Orbán's Fidesz could hold 54 seats. And the far-right Our Homeland Movement is on course to enter Parliament as a third party with seven.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola has also sent congratulations to Péter Magyar on his “victory in today’s national elections.”

“Hungary’s place is at the heart of Europe,” she wrote on X.

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sent his congratulations to Péter Magyar on his election win.

“I look forward to the cooperation for a strong, secure, and above all united Europe,” Merz wrote on X.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also took to X to congratulate Magyar and noted that Hungarians "have chosen political change."

"I hope that the country now once again uses its great opportunities in and with Europe," Wadephul said.

German MEP and head of the European People’s Party Manfred Weber has also congratulated Magyar, saying “Tonight is the victory of the people of Hungary.”

“Substance. Solutions. Unity—not empty slogans and fears,” he wrote in a post on X.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he held a meeting with Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar to “congratulate him on his victory.”

“France salutes a victory of democratic participation, of the Hungarian people's attachment to the values of the European Union, and for Hungary in Europe,” Macron wrote in a post on X.

“Together, let us advance a more sovereign Europe, for the security of our continent, our competitiveness, and our democracy.”

Von der Leyen says “Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight” after Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat in Sunday’s election.

Orbán has long been a thorn in Brussels' side, frequently using, or threatening to use, his veto power to a degree that threatened the system from within.

Most recently, in March he blocked a previously agreed €90 billion loan for Ukraine over a dispute involving the Druzhba pipeline.

“We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well,” Orbán told his supporters.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat on Sunday after what he called a ″painful″ election result.

The results end 16 years of Orbán's rule at the top of Hungarian politics.

“I congratulated the victorious party,″ Orbán told supporters in Budapest. “We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well.”

Initial official results show opposition leader Peter Magyar’s party dominating the election.

Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar said in a post on Facebook that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had called him and congratulated him on his election victory.

"Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just congratulated us on the phone on our victory," Magyar wrote.

According to the National Election Commission, with 53% of the votes counted, Tisza is leading and set to take at least 136 seats in the 199-seat Parliament.

Orbán's Fidesz is projected to take 56 seats, while the far-right Our Homeland Movement could win seven.

According to our reporters on the ground, Orbán is due to speak to his supporters in Budapest soon.

Euronews reporter Ádám Magyar sent us these pictures from the electoral headquarters of the Fidesz Party, where journalists and a handful of supporters are waiting for the final results to come in.

The mood is quiet and there are mostly journalists inside who are waiting for politicians. During the last 1.5 hours, only one deputy, István Hollik, appeared, Euronews reporter Ádám Magyar said.

Fidesz is holding its electoral event at a hall called Bálna (whale) in the centre of Budapest. Outside the building, there is currently only a handful of Fidesz supporters but more people are continuing to arrive.

Earlier, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office Gergely Gulyás praised the record voter turnout.

Gergely Gulyás, the Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, held a press conference after voting ended and said that the high voter turnout means who ever wins will have major democratic legitimitacy.

"We are pleased that the democratic empowerment of the next Parliament will be so strong, as this high turnout means that democratic empowerment is stronger than ever before," he said.

He added that he hasn't seen any irregularities during the voting process that would call the results into question.

Our Chief Europe Editor Maria Tadeo, who is in Budapest to cover the election, reports packed trams and massive queues in the direction of the Tisza election night venue opposite the Hungarian parliament.

Euronews’ flagship morning show Europe Today will broadcast a special three-hour programme from Budapest and Brussels on Monday from 8 am CET to debrief the result.

Hungary's opposition leader said Sunday's vote was a historic day, with over 6 million voters setting record turnout figures.

"The vast majority of Hungarians felt how important the election was, or how fateful the election was in Hungary. Once again, I thank everyone who exercised their right to vote, whoever they voted for. Today is truly a celebration of democracy," Magyar told the press in Budapest.

He said he had seen the data from the pollsters and that he is cautiously optimistic but pointed out his party needs to win elections, not polls.

"Based on the data and on the turnout, we are cautiously optimistic. We have said several times in recent months, perhaps even years, that we do not want to win a poll, but an election," Magyar added.

Magyar also thanked the 50,000 Tisza activists who worked as election monitors.

"Anyone who commits or incites election fraud should be held accountable before the law. And if the law so provides, they will go to prison."

Polls have closed and official counting is now under way. There is no official exit poll in this election but a prediction of how the results might look, is given by two of Hungary’s major pollsters.

And there’s very little difference between the two. Medián predicts opposition party Tisza led by Péter Magyar taking home 55% of the vote, while 21 Research Institute has that figure slightly lower at 55%.

Medián has incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party taking 37.9% of the vote while 21 Research Institute puts that number slightly higher at 38%.

The data is an estimate based on a large-sample survey conducted between 7-9 April.

Final results won’t be known for several hours yet and with voter turnout at a record 77.8%, the highest ever recorded in a Hungarian election, there are plenty of ballot papers to count.

"Hungarians understand the importance of this vote, no matter how they voted. This is a celebration of democracy," Magyar said after polls closed.

He added that he had seen the data from the pollsters and that he is cautiously optimistic but pointed out his party needs to win elections, not polls.

Party started to gather in central Budapest, at Batthyány Square, Euronews correspondent Zoltán Siposhegyi reported.

Balázs Orbán, the political adviser to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (no relation), accused the opposition of fraud and preparing acts of violence.

In a social media post, he said they had received numerous complaints and reports of Tisza activists acting aggressively, threatening voters, using drone surveillance and carrying weapons to polling stations.

He also accused the opposition of attempting to bribe voters.

"We will keep Hungary's peace," Balázs Orbán said.

Hungary's parliamentary election is shaping up to be the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during his 16 years in charge of government.

Polling agencies continue to show significantly different outcomes, with overall trends over time favouring the opposition Tisza Party.

Horváth Ferenc has the full report below.

Elections in Hungary: What do the polls say?

Medián, currently considered among the most accurate pollsters in Hungary, predicts a two-thirds majority in parliament for opposition party Tisza. Most other…

Just days before the Sunday vote, US Vice-President JD Vance travelled to Hungary to endorse Orbán and critique the EU.

Vance, giving a press conference beside Orbán, made a number of claims about the European Union, accusing it of "trying to destroy" Hungary's economy, sabotaging the country's energy independence and "driving up costs for Hungarian consumers."

He didn't hold back as he accused the EU of "one of the worst examples of election interference I have ever seen or ever even read about" during his trip to Budapest.

But several of Vance's claims are misleading. Euronews' fact-checking team, The Cube, looked at the three biggest ones.

Fact-checking JD Vance's claims that Brussels is 'harming Hungary'

Is Brussels crippling the Hungarian economy and making Budapest less energy independent? JD Vance’s speech in Budapest makes several misleading claims. #TheCube

Opposition leader Péter Magyar released a statement on Sunday denying allegations that his Tisza Party was planning violence in the event of an election defeat.

The warnings came after government spokesman Zoltán Kovács noted that Tisza's election-night event was being held close to parliament and the prime minister's office, suggesting that "a short walk is all it takes to move a crowd from 'watching results' to 'taking action'."

Several pro-government commentators also cautioned that Fidesz's victory could trigger unrest.

Magyar dismissed the claims outright. "It is a common Fidesz scare story and lie that anyone is preparing for violent protests or building occupations after the vote," he said.

“We are living in the final hours of Orbán's rule: let's bid them farewell calmly and with dignity, and tomorrow let's start reuniting the nation” Péter Magyar said in a press release. 

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán urged his supporters to vote on Sunday, warning that the country's peace and security could depend on a single ballot.

"It's a decision we cannot undo. We have to defend Hungary!" Orbán wrote in a social media post published in the afternoon.

Throughout the campaign, Orbán had accused the opposition Tisza Party of seeking to drag Hungary into war and of acting in foreign interests, allegations the party and its leader, Péter Magyar, have firmly rejected.

In just two years, Péter Magyar has grown from a virtually unknown figure in Hungarian politics to becoming the biggest threat to the Fidesz Party - his former political home - and its 16-year uninterrupted stretch in government.

Magyar burst into prominence in 2024 as the government faced a presidential pardon scandal that involved a child abuser's accomplice.

Prior to that, he was raised in a conservative family and was anything but an outsider when it came to the politics of of Fidesz.

You can check out Zoltan Siposhegyi’s profile of the man who could be Hungary’s next PM below.

Insider to rival: how Magyar became Orbán's most serious challenger

Just a few years ago, Péter Magyar was an insider within the ruling Fidesz elite in Hungary. This Sunday, he goes into an election that could see him oust Orbá…

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has governed Hungary for nearly 16 years, reshaping its institutions, challenging EU norms and positioning himself as the leading voice of nationalist conservatism on the continent.

His trajectory from liberal student activist to self-described champion of "illiberal democracy," is one of the most striking — and polarising — political reinventions in post-communist central and eastern Europe.

Gábor Tanács has this profile of the man who could be Hungary’s outgoing PM.

Viktor Orbán: From young dissident to Europe's most polarising leader

Viktor Orbán rose from liberal student activist to a self-professed illiberal, reshaping Hungary’s rule, foreign policy and relations with the EU and Russia. #…

By 6:30 pm local time, just over 77% of eligible voters had cast their votes, making it a record high and a significant increase on the 62% at the last election four years ago.

Incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed his happiness at the high turnout after casting his vote in Budapest. "I came to win," he said, and urged everyone to vote.

After casting his vote, opposition leader Péter Magyar said that he was certain that his Tisza party would win and that he believed there would be a change at the top of Hungarian politics.