Despite alterations to the electoral apparatus to control results for a decade and a half, last Sunday millions of citizens flocked to the polls and decided to vote for change. Peter Magyar, from the opposition Tisza movement, obtained over 3.3 million votes —final counts are still underway— which will very likely grant him a two-thirds majority in the Hungarian parliament with 199 seats. This means he will have the power to reform the Constitution and reverse some of the anti-democratic changes that Orbán had installed in the legal, electoral, legislative, and governmental systems. It is a true epic of the Hungarian people who came out en masse to defend their country last Sunday. Orbán had no choice but to recognize the results, accept defeat, and begin his withdrawal from government. Hungary is a European country that, like many others, is governed under a parliamentary democracy. This reverses a clear trend of right-wing populism, which seeks to control electoral processes, weaken institutions and freedoms, and restrict citizens' rights. Orbán represented a centralist, increasingly autocratic system that modified laws to subjugate the courts and strip them of their independence. Any resemblance to Mexico is purely coincidental. Throughout 16 years, he used his European Union membership to block decisions and sanctions against Putin's aggressive, belligerent, and invading Russia. He was a high-risk factor for NATO by becoming a conduit for confidential European information and security, serving Moscow. Moreover, his conservative, pro-family, anti-woke stance led him to a close relationship with Donald Trump, making Orbán a pivot between these two world leaders. More than once, he acted as a courier between Putin and Trump on exclusive and delicate matters, such as European security, the conflict with Ukraine, US support for and involvement with Zelenskyy, and many other highly confidential issues. Perhaps the rising autocrat Orbán thought his closeness to both leaders guaranteed his hold on power. The political force that wins the most seats in Parliament has the right to govern and form a cabinet. In his victory speech on Sunday night, Peter Magyar announced a return to European values and traditions, to strengthening democracy and the free and autonomous institutions that make up the state. It is fantastic news for Europe, for the Union, for NATO, and for the world. The idea that tyrants can be ousted from power is becoming increasingly unbelievable in today's world: Putin has been the absolute master of Russia for 27 years, through total election manipulation and the back-and-forth game between the presidency and the head of government. Orbán had declared himself a loyal servant of Putin, only to become his spy, agent, and informant within the European Union in recent years. According to data from the European Union's Statistical Office, Hungary is the poorest country with the highest levels of corruption, lines that Peter Magyar used to attack the heart of Orbán's government. What's interesting in the European political spectrum is that it is an arch-conservative, defender of family and country (Orbán) who was defeated by another conservative, but one who was able to expose the corruption and servitude to Moscow that has so harmed Hungary throughout its history. Magyar represents a new hope for European strengthening, for a unified front against Putin's aggressions and threats, and for adding a young leader (45 years old) who will seek to renew his country. Last Sunday night, the landslide victory of opposition leader Peter Magyar in Hungary was confirmed, ending a dark night of 16 years under Viktor Orbán's rule. This is a transcendent and significant result.
