Viktor Orbán's Era Ends After Over a Decade in Power in Hungary

Péter Magyar, leading the Tisza-Respect and Freedom Party, emerged victorious in Hungary's parliamentary elections this past Sunday, securing 53.27% of the votes according to preliminary results covering 55.11% of the count. This marks the conclusion of Viktor Orbán's uninterrupted 16-year reign, as reported by Europa Press.

With these figures, Tisza is poised to command 137 of the 199 seats in Hungary's unicameral Parliament, surpassing the two-thirds majority threshold set at 133 seats. This majority would allow them to enact sweeping constitutional reforms, overturn Orbán's laws, and restore judicial independence, emphasized El País.

Orbán's party, Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Union, came in second, garnering 38.08% of the votes and securing 55 seats, including those of its ally, the Christian Democratic People's Party.

The Our Homeland Movement managed to secure 6% of the vote, translating into seven seats. No other parties achieved parliamentary representation.

The election saw a record-breaking 79.01% voter turnout, with 4,424,474 individuals casting their ballots.

In Budapest, voter participation soared to 82.19%, surpassing the previous high of 70.53% set in 2002, which had been the benchmark of Hungary's post-communist era.

Following the initial results, Magyar simply posted "Thank you, Hungary" on social media. Shortly after, the Tisza party announced that Orbán had personally called Magyar: "Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just congratulated us by phone on our victory."

Addressing his supporters, Orbán acknowledged defeat candidly. "The results are painful for us, yet unmistakable: the responsibility to govern does not lie with us. I have congratulated the winning party."