Hungarians voted on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could end Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16 consecutive years in power. Polling stations closed at 19:00 local time with turnout at 77.8%, surpassing the previous post-communist record of 70.5% set in 2002.
Why it matters
The election is the most significant in the European Union this year. A change of government would reshape Hungary’s relationships with Brussels, Moscow and Washington, and signal a shift in the populist wave that has defined European politics for more than a decade.
The contest
Orbán’s Fidesz party faces its strongest challenge from Péter Magyar, a 44-year-old former government insider who broke with the ruling party in 2024. His centre-right Tisza party led most pre-election polls by seven to nine percentage points. Research by pollster Medián projected a potential two-thirds parliamentary majority for the opposition.
Magyar built his campaign on anti-corruption messaging, framing the election as a choice between democratic renewal and further institutional capture.
Orbán’s record
Orbán has won four consecutive elections since 2010, using constitutional supermajorities to reshape the judiciary, media landscape and electoral system. His close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have made him a polarising figure in European politics.
Record turnout
The 77.8% turnout figure exceeded all expectations and broke every post-1989 record. Analysts noted that high turnout has historically favoured opposition parties in Hungarian elections, as Fidesz’s disciplined base tends to vote regardless of overall turnout levels.
What happens next
Official results are expected in the early hours of Monday. If Tisza wins, Magyar would become Hungary’s next prime minister. A Fidesz loss would also test the party’s grip on state institutions built up over 16 years of unbroken rule.