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Revellers are seen in the streets in Budapest, Hungary after closing polls pointed to a victory for the Tisza opposition party, ending Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule. Sipa US/Alamy Live News
Hungary for change
Irish and EU leaders welcome Hungary 'back to Europe' after landslide defeat for Orbán
The 62-year-old conceded defeat just after 8.30pm Irish-time on Sunday night after 16 years in power.
HUNGARY’S LONGEST RULING prime minister Viktor Orbán failed in his bid for reelection after 16 years in power.
The 62-year-old conceded defeat just after 8.30pm Irish-time on Sunday night, ringing his opponent, Tisza leader Péter Magyar, to congratulate him on his landslide victory.
Tisza secured a two-thirds majority, with 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament on 53.07% of the vote, according to official election results. Orbán’s Fidesz took 55 seats on 38.4% of the vote.
Orbán described the defeat as “painful”.
Magyar, the 45-year-old leader of conservative and pro-European party Tisza, will now take the reins of the country. His pro-European stance is a direct shift from Orbán, a self-described perennial “thorn” in the side of EU leaders.
Magyar campaigned on issues affecting ordinary voters, including the faltering public health care and transportation sectors and what he describes as rampant government corruption.
A former insider within Orbán’s Fidesz, Magyar broke with the party in 2024 and quickly formed Tisza. He said the election is a “referendum” on whether Hungary continues on its drift towards Russia under Orbán, or can retake its place among the democratic societies of Europe.
It’s a massive electoral decision for the people of Hungary, and is regarded as signalling a desire for closer alignment with the EU and a move away from Russia. Across the world, congratulations were offered to Magyar from pro-European countries, and condolences to Orbán from more Eurosceptic world leaders.
Here’s a roundup of the international reaction.
Ireland
Senior figures at Cabinet offered their congratulations to Magyar for his election win, with the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee issuing statements and posts on social media.
Simon Harris wrote, “Hungary is back at the heart of Europe”, while Micheál Martin and McEntee spoke of a desire to strengthen relations during Ireland’s EU Presidency in July.
Martin commended the “Hungarian people who turned out in such high numbers to exercise their democratic choice” in the election.
US and Canada
Orbán is a key ally of the US. He was endorsed by vice president JD Vance last week, who travelled to Hungary and spoke on stage alongside the Hungarian prime minister to declare him a “model for Europe”.
Orbán is particularly aligned with the Trump administration on anti-migrant policies, which came to the fore in Hungary during the refugee crisis 10 years ago.
Neither Vance nor US President Donald Trump have yet commented on Orbán’s defeat.
Former Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton however said the end of Orbán’s “autocratic regime” is a “victory not just for Hungary, but for people who value democracy around the world”.
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney congratulated Magyar on his “decisive” election victory.
“The Hungarian people have chosen a new path,” he wrote. “We are ready to work with you, and our European allies, to deepen our cooperation in trade, defence, and security.”
Justin Trudeau, Carney’s predecessor, said: “Hungarians voted for change and a renewed commitment to democratic institutions after years of erosion under Viktor Orbán”.
Europe
Outside of Ireland, there was louder cheers for what has been deemed as Hungary returning to the fold of the European Union. Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk posted a video of himself on the phone to Magyar.
“Péter? Oh, I’m so happy. I think I’m happier than you,” he said in the short clip, which was captioned “Welcome back to Europe!”
Welcome back to Europe! 🇵🇱🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/OycXLz1p6u
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) April 13, 2026
An earlier tweet by the prime minister said, “Hungary, Poland, Europe. Back together! Glorious victory, dear friends!” and “Ruskik haza!” – the latter phrase meaning “Russians, go home!”.
The prime minister of Slovakia, an Eastern European country closely aligned with Hungary with similar ties to Russia, was less enthused.
“With full respect, I acknowledge the decision of the citizens of Hungary in yesterday’s parliamentary elections,” Robert Fico said. He congratulated Magyar and said Slovakia is committed to “friendly and mutually beneficial relations with Hungary”.
Elsewhere, a spokesperson for the Kremlin told journalists Russia hopes for “pragmatic” relations with Hungary’s new leadership.
“Hungary has made its choice. We respect this choice. We are counting on continuing our highly pragmatic contacts with Hungary’s new leadership,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
Giorgia Meloni, the centre-right prime minister leading Italy, congratulated Magyar but said she wished to thank her “friend Viktor Orbán”.
“I know that even from the opposition he will continue to serve his nation,” she said.
France’s Emmanuel Macron, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and Britain’s Keir Starmer, all congratulated Magyar and spoke about cooperation at a European level. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed Orbán’s defeat.
Hungary
And finally, in the nation itself, there were celebrations as Hungary prepares to welcome its new prime minister.
The energy in Budapest tonight is absolutely incredible. Unlike anything I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Every bridge, metro station and street is full of celebration. Literally the entire city. pic.twitter.com/9yGugrHA30
— Caolan (@CaolanReports) April 12, 2026
Crowds of Magyar supporters celebrated into the early morning hours outside his party’s election headquarters on the banks of the Danube river, waving Hungarian flags and dancing.
“I feel fantastic!” Zoltan Sziromi, a 20-year-old student celebrating in the crowd, told news agency AFP.
“We’ve finally got rid of that system, and it was about time.”
Magyar, who arrived waving the Hungarian flag, told the cheering crowd that voters had “liberated Hungary”, calling his party’s win a “miracle” in the central European country of 9.5m people.
“Today, the Hungarian people have said ‘yes’ to Europe,” the conservative told supporters.
He promised to “restore the system of checks and balances…, guarantee the democratic functioning of our country” and put Hungary “back on track”.
Acknowledging it was an “enormous” task, he called for unity, saying the victory belonged to “all Hungarians”.
Additional reporting by Jane Matthews and AFP
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