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Polish PM hails 'glorious victory' by pro-EU opposition in Hungary election

12.04.2026 23:45
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Sunday welcomed what he called a "glorious" victory by Hungary's pro-EU opposition Tisza party in a parliamentary election that ended years of Eurosceptic rule.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (right) and Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar (left) meet on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Feb. 13, 2026.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (right) and Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar (left) meet on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Feb. 13, 2026.Photo: Polish Prime Minister's Office/KPRM/x.com/donaldtusk

With about 95 percent of the vote counted, Tisza was set to win 138 seats in the 199-member parliament, enough for a two-thirds constitutional majority, according to data from the National Election Office (NVI).

“Hungary, Poland, Europe. Back together! Glorious victory, dear friends!” Tusk wrote on X.

“Ruszkik haza! (Russians, go home)," he added in Hungarian.

'My first trip abroad will be to Warsaw': Hungary's Magyar

Tisza leader Peter Magyar said his first foreign trip, if he becomes Hungary’s next prime minister, would be to Warsaw, followed by visits to Vienna and Brussels.

"My first trip abroad will be to Warsaw, as agreed with Donald Tusk," Magyar told the media after casting his vote on Sunday.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban conceded defeat after the centre-right Tisza party secured a sweeping parliamentary victory, dealing a blow to his right-wing allies in Europe and across the Atlantic.

Orban's ruling Fidesz party was expected to secure 54 seats.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reacts as he addresses supporters after partial results in the country's parliamentary election were announced, in Budapest on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reacts as he addresses supporters after partial results in the country's parliamentary election were announced, in Budapest on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

Sunday's vote was closely watched in Warsaw, with Magyar pledging to strengthen ties with Poland if he takes power.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (right) and his wife Aniko Levai (left) cast their votes in the country's general election, at a polling station in Budapest on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Viktor Orban (right) and his wife Aniko Levai (left) cast their votes in the country's general election, at a polling station in Budapest on Sunday. Photo: EPA/AKOS KAISER/HUNGARIAN PM GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION via PAP
Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar, head of the centre-right Tisza party, casts his vote at a polling station in Budapest during the country's general election on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar, head of the centre-right Tisza party, casts his vote in Sunday's election. Photo: EPA/Robert Hegedus

Tusk said ahead of the vote that the Hungarian election could mark a turning point for Europe following a recent wave of gains by pro-Russian and Eurosceptic groups.

Magyar had cast the election as decisive for Hungary’s future, framing it as a choice between "East or West, a failing state or a functioning one, corruption or a fair public sphere."

He said a new government would prioritise anti-corruption measures, strengthen Hungary’s position in the EU and NATO, unlock frozen EU funds and improve relations with Poland.

Analysts say the end of Orban's rule could have significant implications for Ukraine, potentially easing Hungary’s opposition within the EU and opening the way for new financial support for Kyiv.

'Hungary has chosen Europe': EU's von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after partial results that "Hungary has chosen Europe."

Orban's defeat could also deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of a key ally within the EU, the Reuters news agency reported.

Despite support from US President Donald Trump and other right-wing figures, it said, Orban’s campaign was weakened by voter dissatisfaction over economic stagnation, rising living costs and allegations that business figures close to the government had accumulated significant wealth.

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Source: PAP, IAR, Reuters