Good morning from Brussels, which is awakening this morning to a new dawn in Hungarian politics as Viktor Orbán is ousted after 16 uninterrupted years in power. I’m Mared Gwyn.
After a rancorous and bitter electoral campaign in which Hungary’s place in Europe and the world took centre stage, Péter Magyar — a former Orbán confidant who broke ranks with the Fidesz party to lead the conservative Tisza Party just two years ago — has won a supermajority of an estimated 138 of the 199 seats in parliament, and is now poised to become the Hungarian Prime Minister.
It brings 16 years of Orbán’s controversial rule, in which he made Hungary a self-styled “petri dish for illiberalism” and maintained close ties to the Kremlin, to an abrupt end – and it could mean a radical reshaping of Hungary’s relations with the EU.
In his victory speech delivered in an electric atmosphere at the heart of Budapest last night, Magyar hailed the “strongest mandate” handed to a politician in the history of Hungarian democracy and vowed to unlock around €17 billion in EU funds frozen by Brussels due to concerns over Orbán’s progressive undoing of democratic standards and media freedom.
“Hungary will once again be a strong ally representing Hungarian interests, because our country’s place is in Europe,” Magyar said.
Magyar’s rise to power has instilled a sense of optimism in Brussels. The gradual erosion of the rule of law in Hungary under Orbán, and the outgoing premier’s persistent use of his veto power to stall sanctions on Russia and packages of support to Ukraine – including a critical €90 billion EU loan to Kyiv – has gained Hungary a reputation as the biggest thorn in Brussels’ side.
Sunday’s result prompted an outpouring of congratulations from Brussels and other EU capitals. “Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote. Magyar received calls on Sunday night from von der Leyen as well as NATO chief Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron and the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
In his message of congratulations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his wish to “advance” cooperation with Hungary. Orbán had centred his campaign around his animosity towards Zelenskyy, accusing the Ukrainian leader of sabotaging the Druzhba pipeline which carried Russian crude to Hungary and blocking the €90 billion loan as a result.
But EU officials are also wary Magyar, while pro-European and a firm supporter of the EU and NATO, could also adopt a critical position on the bloc’s Ukraine policy to avoid alienating entrenched Fidesz voters. Magyar has said Hungary will continue to refuse to send arms to Kyiv, and that Ukraine’s EU accession should be tied to concrete conditions and a referendum in Hungary.
One senior EU official described Sunday’s historic result as a “new leaf” but warned that things will not be “plain sailing”, adding that the Magyar government faces the momentous task of undoing the democratic backsliding engineered by Orbán if it is to tap into funds locked down by Brussels.
The historic result comes as a major blow to Orbán’s rightwing allies across Europe and in Washington. The outgoing leader had become a figurehead for the European far right and one of the closest Trump allies on the continent, with US Vice President JD Vance travelling to Budapest to bolster his campaign days before the election.
Orbán’s defeat casts doubt over the pervasiveness of the Make Europe Great Again movement that has been exported from the US to Europe. Yet, analysts also say other like-minded leaders could take up his fight. Slovakia’s leader Robert Fico has said he could continue to block aid to Ukraine, while opinion polls in other countries – including France – suggest the ultranationalist, Eurosceptic right-wing is knocking on the doors of other EU governments.
There has been no reaction yet from the Kremlin, which has lost in Orbán what many critics described as a Trojan Horse in the EU. Explosive reports that the Hungarian Foreign Minister under Orbán had been briefing his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on confidential ministerial meetings in Brussels had delivered a blow to the Orbán campaign.
We have more analysis and reactions, including from former European Council President Charles Michel, in special broadcasts of Europe Today this morning at 8am, 9am and 10am Brussels time. Watch live on Euronews.
Trump orders Strait of Hormuz blockade after US-Iran talks fail in Islamabad
On Sunday, a long day of diplomacy between the US and Iran in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad ended with a sharp turn, when US President Donald Trump said the US Navy would “immediately” begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
“I have instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International waters that has paid a toll to Iran,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage.
US Central Command (Centcom) has indicated the blockade could start at 10am Eastern Time (15.00 CET) today, with Iran warning such a move would violate the fragile two-week ceasefire which is hanging by a thread.
Oil prices spiked again in response to Trump’s threats when trading opened earlier this morning, with US crude oil jumping to over $104 a barrel.
Aadel Haleem has more.
More from our newsrooms
Pope Leo XIV urges immediate ceasefire amid Israel-Hezbollah clashes. The Pope called for an immediate ceasefire on Sunday as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues, urging all parties to respect international law and protect civilians. Watch.
No clouds on the horizon: France and Portugal strengthen their relationship with Treaty of Porto. The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries entered into force this Sunday, a partnership ‘at the service of the French and the Portuguese, and of a Europe that decides for itself’. Ricardo Figueira and Alexander Kazakevich havethe details.
We’re also keeping an eye on
- EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas addresses UN Security Council in New York
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visits Madrid
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez continues China visit
That’s it for today. Remember to sign up to receive Europe Today in your inbox every weekday morning at 08.30.