Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar delivered a victory speech before tens of thousands of supporters after securing a historic landslide win in the April 12 elections, bringing an end to Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule. With nearly 99% of votes counted, the Tisza Party is projected to win 138 of the 199 seats, five seats over the supermajority, while Fidesz is expected to secure 57 seats, as the opposition garnered 53.6% of the vote compared to just 37.8% by the ruling party.

Hungary’s political system is headed for a fundamental shift as Fidesz secured only 11 of the 106 constituencies, of the 40-45 projected by some polls, and the number could shrink further when votes from Hungarians living abroad are counted in some constituencies with a small margin of Fidesz victory.

Turnout was close to 80%, a historic high.

The scale of the Tisza Party’s victory was visible "not from the Moon, but from every Hungarian window" across cities and villages alike, he said, referring to the victory speech by Orban after his last supermajority victory four years ago, when he described Fidesz's landslide victory, the largest since first taking power in 2010. 

The prime minister conceded defeat one hour after the polls closed.

The strong mandate will make it easier for Tisza to carry out its institutional reforms, analysts said, adding that the vote could fundamentally reshape Hungary’s politics. Radical right-wing party Our Homeland also exceeded the 5% threshold and will have 6 representatives, while the former ruling party, leftist-liberal Democratic Coalition, received just 1% of the vote. After the election, party president Klara Dobrev announced her resignation.

Hungarians "overthrew the system of Viktor Orban" to reclaim their country, with 3.3mn votes, which is more than any government had received since the 1990 transition, he said, adding that April 12 2026, will be written in the history books alongside the start date of the 1848 Anti-Habsburg uprising and the 1956 anti-Soviet revolution.

This represents a clear authorisation for Tisza to build a "functioning country for all Hungarians," he added.

He stated that restoring accountability in public life and increasing transparency in state institutions would be central to the new policy direction, including measures to address corruption and misuse of public resources.

He thanked supporters, volunteers, and campaign staff, calling the result a "moment of grace" and a victory not only for his party but for "freedom and truth." Magyar specifically highlighted young people’s efforts in driving the regime and those living abroad, many of whom travelled thousands of miles to return to Hungary just to vote.

"Today the Hungarian people have decided in favour of a system change; those who were part of the system and its puppets must leave public life", he said, calling on state institutions to prepare for political transition. He urged the outgoing government not to make decisions that would bind the hands of the incoming government.

He also called for the resignation of several senior officials, including President Tamás Sulyok, the Prosecutor General, and other heads of constitutional bodies, arguing that institutional independence must be restored.

Magyar said Hungary would be governed in a new direction focused on rebuilding institutions, restoring public services, and ensuring equality before the law. The incoming government would represent all citizens, including those who did not vote for Tisza, and he appealed for national unity, saying he would represent all Hungarians regardless of political affiliation, and urged supporters to extend a hand to those who voted differently.

Magyar also announced plans for accountability measures, including asset recovery efforts and investigations into alleged abuses of power, and said those responsible for wrongdoing must face consequences.

"We are aware of our responsibility and of the immense, almost superhuman task ahead of us. I ask you to celebrate today in a calm, joyful and peaceful way, and tomorrow we will begin working together, because it will be our shared task to heal the wounds and clear away the damage caused over the past decades", he told the jubilant crowd. 

The opposition leader confirmed that Hungary would remain committed to its European Union and NATO membership and stressed the importance of restoring cooperation with European partners, particularly regarding access to EU funding and broader economic integration.

The Hungarian people had voted in favour of Europe and a free Hungary, "We will rebuild and expand the V4 alliance with cooperation," he said, adding that his first foreign visit will be to Warsaw, then Vienna and then Brussels to bring home suspended EU funds.

Magyar said he has received congratulations from the French and German chancellors, the NATO secretary-general, Manfred Weber and Ursula von der Leyen. The head of the European Commission in X post said, "Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger."

Magyar closed his speech by invoking former Prime Minister Jozsef Antall, the centre-right leader of the MDF. Along the Danube riverbank, tens of thousands of Tisza Party supporters, predominantly young people, assembled to celebrate the opposition's landslide victory, chanting and waving Hungarian flags.

Celebrations continued in a carnival-like party atmosphere, as young people took over the streets in central Budapest, buoyed by honking cars.