Lívia Benko
Living with the Aftermath of Orbánism
Hungary’s Struggle to Rebuild the State
AIES Comment 2026/3
27.04.2026 / Europäische Union
Hungary’s 2026 parliamentary election marks a decisive political turning point, as Péter Magyar and his Tisza movement removed Viktor Orbán from power after sixteen years of rule. This outcome is widely interpreted as both a major domestic shift in a positive direction and a development with broader European implications. The Tisza Party secured 141 seats in the 199-member National Assembly, exceeding ear-lier projections and achieving the two-thirds supermajority required for constitutional reform. This creates a rare institutional opportunity to reverse previous governance reforms and realign Hungary with the European Union. However, dismantling the deeply entrenched political and economic system built under Orbán is expected to be complex and gradual rather than immediate.
