{"id":581343,"date":"2026-04-13T09:12:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/581343\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T09:12:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:12:14","slug":"european-leaders-welcome-magyars-election-victory-in-hungary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/581343\/","title":{"rendered":"European leaders welcome Magyar’s election victory in Hungary"},"content":{"rendered":"

BUDAPEST (AP) \u2014 European leaders heaped praise on P\u00e9ter Magyar<\/a> after his stunning election victory in Hungary<\/a>, not just for what the vibrant campaigner and the country\u2019s next premier might do but for who he is not \u2014 long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n, who many saw as a direct threat to the continent\u2019s peace and prosperity.<\/p>\n

The outpouring reflected a deep frustration with Orb\u00e1n across the 27-nation European Union<\/a> and its institutions. <\/p>\n

\u201cToday Europe wins and European values win,\u201d said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez in a post on X on Sunday night. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk exclaimed on social media: \u201cBack together! Glorious victory, dear friends!\u201d<\/p>\n

Orb\u00e1n\u2019s 16-year grip on power has tested the EU system of governance meant to ensure peace through economic and political integration after the ravages of the world wars. Claiming he sought to advance Hungarians\u2019 national interests over strategy forged in Brussels, Orb\u00e1n time and again vetoed collective action such as support for Ukraine following Russia\u2019s all-out invasion<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Recently, the far-right leader\u2019s government outraged EU leaders and officials when it admitted to providing a backchannel to Russia during summits.<\/p>\n

In a recent interview, Magyar told The Associated Press<\/a> that if elected, he would repair Hungary\u2019s relationship with the EU. However, he has carefully avoided taking firm positions on a number of divisive issues during the election campaign \u2014 including Orb\u00e1n\u2019s anti-LGBTQ+ policies<\/a> and whether Hungary should extend more support to Ukraine. \u201cAll Hungarians know that this is a shared victory. Our homeland made up its mind. It wants to live again. It wants to be a European country,\u201d Magyar said during his victory speech from the banks of the Danube River in Budapest, the capital.<\/p>\n

After Orb\u00e1n concedes, congratulations for Magyar pour in fast<\/p>\n

Magyar said he received calls on Sunday night \u2014 before he took the stage to announce his victory \u2014 from French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.<\/p>\n

Online, congratulations also flowed in from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Irish Prime Minister Miche\u00e1l Martin, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and European Parliament Speaker Roberta Metsola. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Romanian President Nicu\u0219or Dan and European Council President Ant\u00f3nio Costa also posted their well-wishes for Magyar.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an historic moment, not only for Hungary, but for European democracy,\u201d Starmer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrance welcomes the victory of democratic participation, the Hungarian people\u2019s commitment to the values of the European Union, and Hungary\u2019s commitment to Europe,\u201d Macron said.<\/p>\n

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Merz said, \u201cLet\u2019s join forces for a strong, secure and, above all, united Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kristersson referenced both the EU and NATO in his congratulation note to Magyar: \u201cI look forward to working closely with you \u2014 as Allies and EU Members. This marks a new chapter in the history of Hungary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slovenia\u2019s liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob congratulated Magyar, saying his \u201cvictory over right-wing populism is also a great victory for the EU and its future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly a more united and more effective EU will be able to respond to the extremely serious challenges of the times ahead,\u201d Golob said.<\/p>\n

Israeli opposition figure Yair Lapid, himself a descendent of Hungarian Jews who survived the Holocaust, also congratulated Magyar.<\/p>\n

Former United States President Barack Obama sent his congratulations, too. \u201cThe victory of the opposition in Hungary yesterday, like the Polish election in 2023, is a victory for democracy, not just in Europe but around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

And from some, kind words for Orb\u00e1n <\/p>\n

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Magyar but also thanked Orb\u00e1n for \u201cintense collaboration for these years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Far-right French politician Jordan Bardella, seen as a nationally competitive politician in the 2027 French elections, praised Orb\u00e1n\u2019s record on populist causes in a post on X. He made no mention of Magyar.<\/p>\n

Even Orb\u00e1n\u2019s staunchest allies in Europe congratulated Magyar.<\/p>\n

Populist Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babi\u0161 said that in the election, \u201cfacing such a strong opponent as Viktor Orb\u00e1n was never easy, yet he earned the trust of the majority of Hungarians and carries great hopes and expectations. He must not disappoint.\u201d <\/p>\n

Slovakia\u2019s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico congratulated Magyar and said he was \u201cready for intensive cooperation with the new Hungarian Prime Minister.\u201d <\/p>\n

Referencing the Druzhba pipeline shuttered since an attack in Ukraine<\/a> \u2014 an issue Orb\u00e1n campaigned on and one exacerbated by rising energy prices over the Iran war \u2014 Fico said Slovakia is \u201cinterested in friendly and mutually beneficial relations with Hungary and in the above-standard status of national minorities living on the territories of our countries.\u201d Both Babi\u0161 and Fico vowed to work with Hungary\u2019s next leader.<\/p>\n

Von der Leyen, who had like many EU officials avoided any public position on the Hungarian election, posted on X that \u201cHungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. Together, we are stronger. A country returns to its European path. The Union grows stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orb\u00e1n had vilified the Brussels-based EU executive and frequently stymied her agenda.<\/p>\n

European People\u2019s Party President Manfried Weber, also a frequent Orb\u00e1n target, said on social media that \u201cHungary is back at the heart of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

German lawmaker Daniel Freund said that \u201cHungarians are sending a signal to the world\u201d \u2014 and that Orb\u00e1n\u2019s ouster will reverberate among populist leaders world over.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe icon of illiberal anti-European forces has now failed – brought down by a disastrous economy, corruption, and his own unfair electoral system,\u201d Freund said.<\/p>\n

Orb\u00e1n had long demonized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, making his opposition to the leader in Kyiv central to his now-failed reelection campaign.<\/p>\n

While congratulating Magyar on X, Zelenskyy said that \u201cwe are ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as for the sake of Europe\u2019s peace, security, and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is hope in Ukraine that Sunday\u2019s historic vote in Hungary will enable the EU to fast-track a much-needed mega loan of 90 billion euros that Orb\u00e1n had blocked.<\/p>\n

Ukraine posted congratulations to Magyar on its X account, referencing two historic rivers of Ukraine and Hungary.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dnipro and the Tisza flow through a shared home \u2014 Europe,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BUDAPEST (AP) \u2014 European leaders heaped praise on P\u00e9ter Magyar after his stunning election victory in Hungary, not…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":581344,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[164749,23,254912,80024,1927,8833,254914,8724,1070,5607,27868,1076,5335,10991,793,11349,9174,67952,7590,254915,7672,254918,8654,196066,113583,3,254917,107237,111,94672,254913,254916,196000,21,19,22,20,5102,25,24,52074,40477,965,254919],"class_list":{"0":"post-581343","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-united-states","8":"tag-2026-elections","9":"tag-america","10":"tag-andrej-babis","11":"tag-antonio-costa","12":"tag-ap-top-news","13":"tag-barack-obama","14":"tag-daniel-freund","15":"tag-donald-tusk","16":"tag-elections","17":"tag-emmanuel-macron","18":"tag-eurocopa-2024","19":"tag-europe","20":"tag-european-union","21":"tag-friedrich-merz","22":"tag-general-news","23":"tag-giorgia-meloni","24":"tag-hungary","25":"tag-hungary-government","26":"tag-international-agreements","27":"tag-jordan-bardella","28":"tag-keir-starmer","29":"tag-manfried-weber","30":"tag-mark-rutte","31":"tag-mette-frederiksen","32":"tag-micheal-martin","33":"tag-news","34":"tag-nicusor-dan","35":"tag-pedro-sanchez","36":"tag-politics","37":"tag-robert-fico","38":"tag-robert-golob","39":"tag-roberta-metsola","40":"tag-ulf-kristersson","41":"tag-united-states","42":"tag-united-states-of-america","43":"tag-unitedstates","44":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","45":"tag-ursula-von-der-leyen","46":"tag-us","47":"tag-usa","48":"tag-viktor-orban","49":"tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy","50":"tag-world-news","51":"tag-yair-lapid"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581343"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581343\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/581344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=581343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=581343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}