On April 12, Hungary conducted its Parliamentary election to elect members to its National Assembly. It was the highest turnout in an election since Hungary became a democracy in 1990.
The election was between the Fidesz party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz member. Orbán had been in power for sixteen years and had made significant changes to Hungary's government, leading it to be described by many, including Orbán himself, as an “illiberal” democracy. This has led to a mixed reputation: some people, like Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon, have called Orbán “one of the great moral leaders in this world,” while others, including European Union leaders, have publicly criticized Orbán and his policies. Hungarians themselves have also displayed mixed opinions in the past few years, with young Hungarians notably less likely to support changes made under the Orbán administration.
This election saw record turnout, resulting in the Tisza party winning a supermajority and Magyar being elected as Hungary's Prime Minister. This result is a major victory for the West.
During his terms, Orbán was known for having warm relationships with both China and Russia, supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative and making energy deals with Russia, even as other democracies began cutting ties with these nations.
He was also known for his substantial efforts to undermine the rule of law in Hungary’s government. These efforts included drafting and passing a new Constitution without consulting the other political parties, changing rules regarding Hungary’s Constitutional Court to allow him to appoint more judges (lowering the mandatory retirement age, expanding the court's membership, etc.), and many others.
He also moved to restrict much of Hungary's media, replacing many journalists with party loyalists and giving the government control over many television and radio stations.
Despite these distinctly anti-Western actions, Orbán has received praise from a subset of the American right for championing Hungary as a “Christian democracy” that supports conservative values. While it is true that Western values partially stem from Christianity, the idea that Orbán’s administration propagates and upholds said values is blatantly incorrect.
Systems and concepts such as the rule of law, free speech, and the separation of powers are central to American and more broadly Western democratic ideals. Orbán has worked to undermine all of these tenets of democracy during his time as Prime Minister. When this lack of regard for democracy is coupled with Orbán’s friendly relationships with distinctly undemocratic nations such as Russia, the idea that this administration stood for, let alone supported and exemplified, American and Western values, is incorrect.
In contrast, Magyar seems more aligned with the democratic Western values that America prides itself on. In Tisza’s manifesto, they state they hope to restore the rule of law to Hungary. Magyar also appears to plan to be harsher than Orbán was toward Russia, criticizing the war in Ukraine that Orbán had supported.
Magyar’s win, but more notably, Orbán’s defeat, signals to the West a rejection of the more authoritarian and anti-Western values Orbán perpetuated and a potential return to the ideals that Hungary, as a democracy, should uphold.
This is something America, as the leader of the free world, should view optimistically.
