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Most Hungarians want Orban prosecuted as TISZA support surges, poll shows

07.05.2026 08:00
Nearly two-thirds of Hungarians believe outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban should face trial, a new poll shows, as support for his successor Peter Magyar's TISZA party climbs to 70 percent ahead of the new government's inauguration.
FILE PHOTO: Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban arrives to attend a European Union-Western Balkans summit in Brussels, Belgium December 17, 2025.
FILE PHOTO: Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban arrives to attend a European Union-Western Balkans summit in Brussels, Belgium December 17, 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Sixty-five percent of Hungarians believe Viktor Orban should be held accountable in court for alleged crimes committed during his 16 years in power, according to a Median poll published Wednesday and reported by weekly HVG.

Support for prosecution was especially strong among voters of the incoming TISZA party, with 88 percent saying Orban should face legal consequences.

The poll also showed TISZA's support continuing to rise less than a month after the parliamentary elections, with 70 percent of likely voters backing the party — compared to 23 percent for Orban's Fidesz.

TISZA leader Peter Magyar reacted on X: "Words fail me. TISZA: 70% — Fidesz: 23%. Unprecedented numbers, unprecedented responsibility. The real work begins on May 9" — the date set for the new government's swearing-in.

The survey also captured a broader shift in public mood: 63 percent of Hungarians now believe the country is heading in the right direction, versus 23 percent who disagree. Hungarian media noted that the share of optimists has nearly doubled since the election.

TISZA won 141 seats in Hungary's 199-member National Assembly on April 12, ending Orban's 16-year rule and giving Magyar's party a constitutional majority.

(jh)

Source: PAP