[Why&Next] Hungary Chooses EU Over U.S. and Russia: "Turning Point"

Orban's Crushing Defeat: Hungary Sees First Change in Power in 16 Years

Trump and Putin Lose a Key Ally as EU Aid to Ukraine Gains Momentum

Setback for Trump Ahead of U.S. Midterm Elections in November

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, often called the "Trump of Europe," suffered a crushing defeat in the general election, signaling a significant shift in the landscape of the European Union (EU) and global geopolitics. With a change of government after 16 years, both the United States and Russia have lost a key ally within the EU. Mazhar Peter, leader of the opposition Tiser Party, declared victory and solidified his pro-EU stance by stating, "I will not be calling the U.S. or Russian leaders."

U.S.-Russia vs. EU Proxy Battle

According to Hungary's National Election Committee, the Tiser Party, the opposition, secured 138 out of the 199 seats in parliament. The ruling Fidesz Party won 55 seats. The Tiser Party had set a goal of winning 133 seats, two-thirds of the parliament, but exceeded this target, securing a powerful mandate to independently push forward major policies. Hungary operates under a parliamentary system.

Magyar Peter, leader of the Teaser Party that won the Hungarian general election. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

This general election was seen as a proxy battle between the United States and Russia versus the EU, and it was considered the most important election in Europe this year. Prime Minister Orban has long maintained close ties with both the United States and Russia. He consistently clashed with the EU, opposing key policies such as sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine, and frequently acted as an obstacle to their passage.

He was also regarded as a role model for Europe's far-right movements, steadfastly prioritizing Hungary's interests over those of the EU. This election result was therefore viewed as a litmus test for the resilience of Europe's far-right and the U.S. MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. However, on the eve of the election, a recording was released in which a senior Orban government official was heard discussing classified information about Russia and the EU, undermining Orban's position.

On April 13 (local time), Mazhar Peter, who handed Orban his defeat, declared, "Hungary will no longer be a puppet state of Russia, but will return to Europe." He also suggested a reset in relations by stating that he would not call either the U.S. or Russian leaders. In his victory speech the previous day, he emphasized, "Hungary will become a strong ally of the EU and NATO." After the election, he took concrete steps to restore relations with Poland, demonstrating a diplomatic shift not just in words but in action as well.

Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director for Europe at Eurasia Group, assessed, "This election result is an inflection point that will reshape the European landscape."

Politico Europe listed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine among the winners of the Hungarian general election, while U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the European far-right movement were named as losers. Bloomberg reported that this election result dealt a major blow to U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had sought to restore Orban to power.

Will the 'Ukraine War' Change?

As a result of this general election, changes are expected in the EU's approach to the war in Ukraine. With internal obstacles removed, the EU will now be able to act more swiftly. Ukraine now has an opportunity to pursue issues such as securing loans and additional sanctions against Russia, matters that had previously been blocked by Hungary. Last December, Prime Minister Orban exercised his veto against a plan agreed upon by the EU to provide Ukraine with loans totaling 90 billion euros. In contrast, Russia has lost a major ally and intelligence source within the EU at a critical time in its war with Ukraine. Just 17 minutes after Orban conceded defeat, President von der Leyen wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "Hungary has chosen Europe."

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance, who had previously voiced public support for Prime Minister Orban, suffered a setback. President Trump made five public statements in support of Orban over the past six months. Vice President Vance visited Hungary to support Orban's victory even before visiting the negotiating table with Iran, where war is raging. President Trump has not issued any comment on the outcome of the Hungarian election.

The Associated Press commented, "Orban's defeat demonstrates that President Trump’s ability to support like-minded politicians abroad has been weakened by the war." CNN evaluated the election outcome as "the dead end of populism."

Particularly with the U.S. midterm elections approaching in November, the results of the Hungarian general election are a negative development for the Trump camp. Orban’s conservative populism and anti-immigration policies closely align with Trump’s MAGA movement. Warnings aimed at President Trump poured in from the Democratic Party. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, "In November, it will be the turn of Trump followers and MAGA extremists in Congress."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.