POLITICS

EU Leaders Welcome Magyar’s Election Victory

Expectations grow for a new chapter in Budapest–Brussels relations after years of tensions with Viktor Orbán’s government

Header Image

POLITIS TEAM

Leaders of the European Union institutions and several EU member states welcomed the landslide victory of Péter Magyar in Hungary’s elections on Sunday, expressing hope for a new phase in relations between Budapest and Brusselsafter years of friction with the government of outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had been in power for 16 years.

EU institutions react to election result

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in a social media post that “Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger.”

Earlier, after the first election results were announced, she had written that “the heart of Europe is beating stronger in Hungary tonight.”

President of the European Council António Costa also commented on the result, highlighting the record voter turnoutand describing it as evidence of the Hungarian people’s democratic spirit.

“The Hungarian people have spoken, and their will is clear,” Costa said. “I look forward to working closely with Péter Magyar to make Europe stronger and more prosperous.”

The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola congratulated Magyar, writing that “Hungary’s place is at the heart of Europe.”

Meanwhile, Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), described the election result as “a victory for the Hungarian people.”

“Substance, solutions and unity — not empty slogans and fear,” Weber wrote.

Magyar’s Tisza Party, which secured victory in the election, belongs to the EPP political family, and Magyar himself currently serves as a Member of the European Parliament.

European leaders welcome political shift

Several European leaders also reacted to the election result.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he looks forward to working with Magyar “for a strong, secure and above all united Europe.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, posting a photo from a meeting with Magyar, said France celebrates the victory of democratic participation and the Hungarian people’s commitment to EU values.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also welcomed the outcome, writing: “Today Europe and European values win.”

Focus on rule of law and democratic reforms

Tineke Strik, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Hungary’s rule of law file and an MEP from the Greens, described the result as a major democratic moment.

“Hungary is back,” she said. “Today is a great day for democracy. These elections represent an important victory for the Hungarian people and for the rule of law.”

She congratulated Péter Magyar, noting that after sixteen years Hungarians chose democracy and Europe over authoritarianism and Russia.

Magyar promises closer ties with Europe

Speaking to supporters gathered in central Budapest, the election winner said Hungary would once again become a strong ally within Europe.

“Hungary will again be a strong partner representing Hungarian interests, because our country’s place is in Europe,” Magyar declared.

He announced that his first international visits will take place in Warsaw and Vienna, followed by a trip to Brussels.

One of his priorities will be persuading the European Union to lift the freeze on billions of euros in EU funds allocated to Hungary, which had been suspended over rule-of-law concerns.

Magyar also pledged to restore Hungary’s standing within both the EU and NATO, and announced plans for the country to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).

Concerns about transition of power

European officials say the key challenge now will be ensuring a smooth political transition, avoiding a situation similar to developments in Poland, where institutional resistance slowed efforts by Prime Minister Donald Tusk to restore rule-of-law reforms.

With the two-thirds parliamentary majority secured in the election, Magyar is expected to have the ability to introduce constitutional changes aimed at reversing what critics described as the erosion of democratic institutions under Orbán’s government.

Restoring the rule of law framework had also been demanded by Members of the European Parliament in a recent letter to Ursula von der Leyen before the election, urging the European Commission to closely monitor Hungary’s democratic reforms.

Tags

#GLOBE #EUROPE #HUNGARY #EUROPEAN UNION #WORLD

Comments Posting Policy

The owners of the website www.politis.com.cy reserve the right to remove reader comments that are defamatory and/or offensive, or comments that could be interpreted as inciting hate/racism or that violate any other legislation. The authors of these comments are personally responsible for their publication. If a reader/commenter whose comment is removed believes that they have evidence proving the accuracy of its content, they can send it to the website address for review. We encourage our readers to report/flag comments that they believe violate the above rules. Comments that contain URLs/links to any site are not published automatically.