Elections in Hungary
This article was originally published in German. The English version is an automatic translation and may contain errors. The German original is authoritative.
My first hint of a historic election result in Hungary didn't come from the news, but from my friend on Erasmus in our shared Snapchat group. She's now going to the "Parliament Rave", she writes, and videos follow of crowds in front of Parliament, exactly where I've walked past so many times.
Honking cars, young people with European flags, celebrating through the night. After 16 years under Orbán, the night feels like a political liberation for many Hungarians.
The election victory of the TISZA Party and Péter Magyar ended an era and simultaneously started a new one. Orbán was long known as Europe's most powerful right-wing populist, who repeatedly blocked the EU. He was also repeatedly criticised strongly for his restrictions on press freedom, his queer-hostile policy and his authoritarian governing style. Now he has been voted out, and even with a two-thirds majority of the opposition. A historic event, not only for Hungary, but for all of Europe.
The euphoria that emerged on election night in Budapest can therefore be explained very well. People became increasingly frustrated during Orbán's time in office, and now there is hope for a better relationship with the EU and much more besides. But who is the man bringing this new hope?
Péter Magyar presents himself as Orbán's countermodel. Pro-European, reformed and little ideological. Some Hungarian vetoes within the EU were already lifted shortly after he took office, and the EU is responding with corresponding relief. Ursula von der Leyen writes: "Hungary has chosen Europe".
Yet Magyar is also no liberal democratic hero. Politically, he originally comes directly from the same party as Orbán himself. His party is also rather conservative and he remains vague when it comes to specific political opinions. The extreme concentration of power, which was already the major problem in Hungary under Orbán, could thus repeat itself. And on top of that: just because there was a change of government does not mean the last 16 years will simply "disappear". Over almost two decades, Orbán built a tight network of loyal judges, media houses and political allies. The structure is deeply embedded in the state. How far can, may and should a new government now go to break up an old system?
And despite all these questions that still remain, the election will have enormous consequences. It is about a lot of money and important decisions. The feeling that many, particularly young, people had on election night is understandable. People are not simply celebrating a party, but the possibility that change is indeed possible.