Magyar thanks Russia, China for accepting poll results, pledges ‘new era’ for Hungary
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Magyar thanks Russia, China for accepting poll results, pledges ‘new era’ for Hungary")
Peter Magyar, leader of the pro-European conservative TISZA party, delivers a press conference at the HUNGEXPO Congress and Exhibition Center in Budapest, Hungary, on April 13, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
The acceptance is significant, as during the campaign, both the Hungarian opposition and international observers alleged that Russia and China actively supported Orbán’s government through disinformation and economic influence.
Conservative newcomer Peter Magyar on Monday thanked Russia and China for "accepting" the results of Hungary's landmark parliamentary elections, which saw long-time nationalist premier Viktor Orban ousted after 16 years in power. Magyar told reporters that he welcomed Moscow and Beijing "being open to pragmatic cooperation, just as Hungary is," a diplomatic signal from the prime minister-elect as he prepares to take the reins of a country long defined by Orban's brand of illiberal nationalism.
Magyar's statement comes after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow hoped for "pragmatic" relations with Hungary's new government. At the same time, China, with which Orban had also cultivated close ties, formally congratulated Magyar.
The acceptance is significant, as during the campaign, both the Hungarian opposition and international observers alleged that Russia and China actively supported Orbán’s government through disinformation and economic influence.
Also Read: Trump’s key EU ally Viktor Orbán concedes defeat as Peter Magyar wins landmark Hungary election
Orban, a self-described "thorn" in the European Union's side, had enjoyed the backing of both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was widely regarded as one of Trump's closest European allies, a relationship underscored by US Vice President JD Vance's recent high-profile visit to Budapest, where he backed Orban's re-election bid and described him as a "defender of national sovereignty" and a "model for the West," an effort broadly seen as an attempt to consolidate a wider populist alignment across Europe.
Almost-complete official results showed Magyar's Tisza party securing 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament on 53 per cent of the vote, against Orban's Fidesz party, which retained 55 seats on 38 per cent. Turnout reached a record 79.6 per cent.
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Magyar vows new era for Hungary
Hungarian prime minister-elect Peter Magyar pledged on Monday to usher in a "new era" for a country he described as having been brought to its knees under Orban's watch. "Our country has no time to waste. Hungary is in trouble in every respect. It has been plundered, looted, betrayed, indebted and ruined," he told reporters.
Magyar said he would do "everything in our power to ensure that this truly marks the beginning of a new era," and urged President Tamas Sulyok, an Orban ally, to convene parliament "as soon as possible." Magyar's Tisza party won a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary elections, which drew record turnout, delivering a decisive blow to hard-right populism in one of Europe's most-watched political contests in years.
