The Hungarian Election – What Can the West Learn?

Peter Magyar, Prime Minister-elect of Hungary from the Tisza Party, holds a press conference in Budapest, Hungary, on April 13, 2026. Balint Szentgallay—Getty Images.

On April 12, 2026, Peter Magyar defeated incumbent Viktor Orban in a landslide victory during the Hungarian parliamentary election, ending his 16-year rule. With a 79% turnout, the highest since the end of communist rule in Hungary, this election could truly be a turning point not just for Hungary but for democracies worldwide, if the right lessons are learned.

Under Orban, Hungary became a model of illiberalism for right-wing populists worldwide. Having taken near-total control of the media in Hungary, Orban promoted anti-liberal, Eurosceptic, and pro-Russia narratives to the point where it became politically acceptable for him to ban aid to asylum seekers, pride marches, and several LGBTQIA+ books, while repeatedly vetoing EU aid to Ukraine. Magyar’s victory, in which he received 53% of the vote and 70% of the seats in parliament, gives him a supermajority which gives him the power to amend the constitution and reform Hungary into a bastion of liberal democracy in Eastern Europe.

The election’s impact reaches far beyond Hungary. After years of populist gains, Magyar has shown the world that populists are not guaranteed to win and that moderates can still prevail. This “complete change of regime,” as Magyar describes, will affect millions. Not only will Hungary regain access to over €18 billion in EU subsidies and funding, but Ukraine will finally be able to access €90 billion in EU loans, a sum equivalent to the funding the US sent in the first two years of the war. This will undoubtedly raise Hungarians' standard of living and enable Ukraine to continue defending itself against Russia.

So, what lessons can Western moderates draw from this election?

Magyar did not run on an explicitly liberal platform; instead, he promised to end the rampant corruption in Hungary. While this concern is somewhat unique to Hungary, the lesson for moderates is to engage with critical political issues that are often dominated by populists to gain ground. They must offer credible answers on migration, security, defense, and the cost of living, even when those positions would have been seen as controversial just a few years ago. In a time where the Overton Window has recently shifted to the right on many issues, the refusal of moderates to engage with sensitive topics because they conflict with their ideological or moral commitments, risks leaving that space open to populists. At present, the most widely heard proposals on critical issues come from the populist right, as shown by their rising popularity across the developed world. One might ask, “How many people actually support the far right because of their dislike of renewables”, versus, “How many are primarily reacting to the cost-of-living crisis and anxieties around migration?”. It could be argued that a major factor that led to the failure of the Democrats’ presidential campaign in the United States in 2024 was this refrain from addressing sensitive topics.

Moderates should be able to purpose less extreme, more lawful and practical solutions than those suggested by the right, for three reasons. First, it helps prevent populists from portraying moderates as radical out-of-touch leftists. Second, adapting to new realities could revitalize these old moderate parties, attract new members and ideas, and show the public that they still represent credible, responsive political movements. Third, offering realistic policies that address the grievances exploited by populists allows moderates to draw voters away from the populist parties, effectively neutering them and pushing them back to the political fringes.

These lessons are already being learned. Gabriel Attal, the centrist former French Prime Minister, has recently reengaged with key issues previously monopolized by the populist right, challenging populists ahead of the 2027 French Presidential election. In all, Magyar has shown the West that moderates can still win when they adapt their platforms to people’s primary concerns instead of allowing moral frameworks to overshadow practical debate.

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