Peter Magyar Defeats Longtime Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán

After 16 years of democratic backsliding under Viktor Orbán, the Tisza Party's Peter Magyar has ousted the authoritarian leader– a massive shift that is likely to bring Hungary closer to Europe.

Viktor Orbán, Hungary's current prime minister, has held power over the country for the last 16 years. Across the span of his term, he has instituted various authoritarian policies as he slowly but expertly dismantled Hungary's once-strong democratic system. By rewriting Hungary's constitution and throttling media freedom, Orbán emerged as a "soft dictator" who staged elections to portray a fair fight for leadership.

However, his support continued to dwindle as he pivoted the country further and further towards a dictatorship. Now, his opposition, Peter Magyar, has won the public's support, with Orbán admitting his defeat in the election.

The shift is sure to have a massive impact on both Hungarian politics and their alliances with other nations. Orbán, being an authoritarian leader, was very close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and was one of the most pro-Russia states in the European Union. Orbán also maintained a strong relationship with President Donald Trump of the United States, along with other far-right leaders, and he inspired many more. In this year's election, he was endorsed by many of them, including Trump, France's Marine Le Pen, and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu.

Magyar, on the other hand, plans to strengthen Hungarian ties with the EU, which have fractured since Orbán came to power. He also plans to focus on rampant corruption, which has prevented crucial funds from reaching Hungarian public services.

Magyar's Tisza party was also able to win a supermajority in the Hungarian parliament, winning 138 of the 199 available seats. This will allow them to change the nation's constitution and reverse some of the democratic damage inflicted by Orbán, bringing Hungary closer to restoring their original democracy.

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Image credit to AP