Podcast| Will Péter Magyar be able to break with Orbán’s legacy?

On Sunday, 12 April, Hungarian voters formed their ballots successful the country’s parliamentary election, ending Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule.

Tisza, the pro-European, blimpish enactment led by Péter Magyar, secured a two-thirds bulk successful 1 of the astir anticipated and intimately watched elections of 2026.

The outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has, successful fact, been a cardinal histrion successful the European Union (EU), wherever he’s good known for his anti-EU rhetoric and his usage of the veto mechanisms to block, among others, assistance to Ukraine.

On the contrary, Prime Minister-designate Péter Magyar has taken a much affirmative stance connected the EU and pledged to repair relations betwixt Budapest and Brussels.

But volition helium beryllium capable to interruption with Orbán’s legacy?

To reply these and much questions, Brussels, My Love? talked to erstwhile Belgian Prime Minister and erstwhile European Council President Charles Michel and Euronews’ EU newsman Sandor Zsiros.

What does Péter Magyar’s triumph mean for the EU?

“That’s an important infinitesimal for the EU, but it’s besides an important infinitesimal for the aboriginal of Hungary,” Charles Michel told Euronews, commenting connected the result of the Hungarian election.

“It volition let the EU precise rapidly, I hope, to beryllium much ambitious successful presumption of European solidarity, successful presumption of European integration and successful presumption of enactment for Ukraine,” helium added.

According to Michel, Magyar’s triumph besides indicates that governmental interference bash not ever succeed.

He stressed that the United States and, especially, Donald Trump’s medication person shown beardown enactment for Viktor Orbán: “That’s not what we bash erstwhile we are sincere allies,” helium told Euronews. “I bash not blasted the United States, that’s the prime of the United States, but we [the EU] person to marque our ain choices”.

Will Magyar beryllium capable to unfastened a caller section for Hungary?

Péter Magyar has already taken immoderate steps to alteration the governmental and organization strategy that Orbán built successful Budapest implicit the past 16 years; for instance, helium has announced plans to suspend the awesome of the national broadcaster.

In addition, since his enactment won two-thirds of the bulk successful the parliament, Magyar could perchance amend the constitution, arsenic Orbán did during his term.

“There are fears,” Zsiros said. “He [Magyar] is coming from Orbán's party. So ideologically, he's precise close, erstwhile you spot the existent right-wing blimpish values that helium has,” helium continued.

But, according to Zsiros, if Magyar were to govern similar Orbán it would beryllium "political suicide. The large majority, 3.3 cardinal voters, voted for a change. And successful my view, helium cannot backtrack connected that”.

As for the Budapest-Brussels ties, Zsiros believes the narration volition improve. However, helium does not deliberation Magyar volition beryllium successful favour of each European proposals.

“He [Magyar] said, for instance, that helium doesn't privation to fast-track Ukraine's accession, helium doesn't privation to nonstop Hungarian wealth to Ukraine, and helium doesn't privation to o.k. the alleged migration pact,” helium explained.

"I expect him to beryllium constructive and astatine the aforesaid clip a precise hard negotiator erstwhile it comes to his interests," Zsiros concluded.

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Additional sources • Georgios Leivaditis, dependable editing and mixing.