Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, is set to be inaugurated as Hungary's prime minister on 9 May after an election that swept Viktor Orbán from power following 16 years of authoritarian rule — but a post-election survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) reveals that voters backed Magyar primarily as a rejection of Orbán rather than as an endorsement of Tisza itself, with only 15% citing the party's vision or its leader's qualities as their reason for voting. Hungarians' top priorities for the new government are reducing the cost of living, improving health and education systems, and tackling corruption, while nearly 80% also want restored relations with the EU and access to frozen EU recovery funds. Magyar's path is further complicated by divisions over Ukraine policy and energy: most Hungarians oppose military aid to Kyiv and want to maintain Russian energy imports, putting the new government at potential odds with Brussels even as it seeks to reposition Hungary toward Europe.
Mosaic News
Hungary's post-election landscape remains uncertain despite voters rejecting Orbán[Updated]
The power shift in Hungary is already reverberating through the business network that enriched itself under Orbán's rule, with several loyalist oligarchs reportedly fleeing abroad as Magyar's government prepares to reclaim state funds funnelled through politically connected contracts. Among those facing scrutiny is media mogul Gyula Balasy, the figure behind years of state-funded propaganda campaigns — including billboard advertisements depicting Ukrainian President Zelensky and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen — which were financed by the Hungarian state rather than Fidesz directly. Lőrinc Mészáros, a childhood friend of Orbán who rose from tradesman to Hungary's wealthiest individual during his ally's tenure, is among the oligarchs whose fortunes now appear under threat as Magyar moves to investigate and recover public money distributed through preferential government contracts.