Viktor Orbán

After 16 years of Viktor Orbán, a change of government in Hungary seemed almost unthinkable until recently. And yet Péter Magyar and his TISZA party won the election on April 12, 2026 by a clear margin. The new government’s next steps are important milestones for the restoration of democracy and the rule of law.

The opposition’s overwhelming election victory and the ousting of the Orbán regime are of historic significance for Hungary and the whole of Europe. A conversation with Bulcsú Hunyadi from the Budapest based think tank Political Capital on the reasons behind the success of the TISZA party, the challenges facing the future government, and the tireless efforts of civil society.

The Hungarian political scene has never been more turbulent in the past 14 years. Since the start of the clemency scandal in early February, Fidesz has been unable to control the political narrative for months, despite its dominant position in power. The campaign leading up to the local and the European Parliament (EP) elections has been dominated by a new challenger, Péter Magyar, and his Respect and Freedom Party (Tisza) so far, although in recent weeks Fidesz has found its footing again.

Viktor Orbán’s recent thoughts on race theory in Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő in Romania on 23 July have provoked strong reactions in Hungary and internationally. However, the Prime Minister has not said anything new. 

After years of perpetual rhetorical wars and shadow-boxing with Brussels, international liberal elites and other mostly imaginary enemies, PM Viktor Orbán got himself a real war to deal with.

The Hungarian Government has classified more than 3000 investments as priority projects, which means that for these projects, both public participation and control by experts who are independent are practically non-existent.

Imagine a country where citizens and public bodies come together to solve the most important issues they face; and allocate public funds accordingly. Where the decision-making process is transparent and accountable, and where you have a real say in the policies and services that shape your life. In Hungary, the budget process, that distributes almost half of the national income, operates against these democratic principles. The latest Open Budget Survey shows that Hungary is far behind other countries of the CEE region in almost all aspects when it comes to transparency and participation related to the national budget.

Recently, in mid-November 2021, Hungarian Parliament adopted a bill which did not itself amend the rules governing elections, but may nonetheless have a profound impact on the integrity of the 2022 parliamentary elections in Hungary.