Hungary’s Viktor Orbán was a favorite of President Trump. During Orbán’s 16-year term, he openly supported Trump’s reelection and frequently discussed political strategy with the US president.
Vice President JD Vance visited Budapest ahead of Sunday’s election, urging citizens to support the incumbent. However, despite these efforts, Orbán conceded defeat, ending his 16-year rule.
This marks a significant shift for Trump, who has lost his most ardent supporter in Europe. The new prime minister is Péter Magyar, whose name means “Hungarian.” A young lawyer with a pro-EU and anti-Russia stance, Magyar campaigned on reducing corruption, taxing the wealthy, and unlocking frozen EU euros.
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU leaders welcomed the result. However, Russia’s Vladimir Putin has not accepted it. Russian state TV claimed that “European hawks” and Ukraine’s leader interfered in the election to remove Orbán.
Magyar grew up admiring Orbán but resigned from his Fidesz party in 2024 due to corruption allegations. In February, he accused Fidesz of a “Russian-type” blackmail operation using a secretly recorded video showing consensual sex with his ex-girlfriend at a house party.
The tactics failed as a record 77.8% of eligible Hungarians voted. Magyar’s Tisza party won an overwhelming parliamentary majority, giving him the power to dismantle Orbán’s authoritarian system and strengthen ties with EU partners. Despite this, Magyar maintains conservative anti-immigration views, advocating for strong EU borders and opposing asylum redistribution.
While Trump viewed Orbán as a soulmate ideologically, there may be some areas of agreement with his new counterpart.”