Recent Hungarian Election Undo 16 Years of EU-Hungary Tensions
Max Merchiori
Staff Writer
Polls closed April 12th for the recent Hungarian elections, with the Tisza party led by Pater Magyar beating the incumbent Victor Orban. Orban, who spent 16 years in power, is known for participating in rampant corruption and democratic backsliding as he turned Hungary from the European Union and into the arms of Russia, even saying that Brussels was a greater threat than Moscow. His time in power helped bolster once-fledgling nationalist movements across Europe, including the National Rally in France. His defeat marks the stagnation of populism in Europe, as Russia becomes a greater threat and the U.S., an increasingly unreliable partner.
Importantly, it marks a turn towards Europe among Hungarians, 77% of whom support membership in the EU (eunews), ending years of hostility and an “outsized influence on European politics” (Gallup). That influence allowed the small European nation to block funding to Ukraine and spread uncertainty over the European Union’s future.
In 2019, the democracy watchdog Freedom House characterized Hungary as being “partly free” under Orban, giving it the least democratic rating of any member in the EU’s history. This, along with widespread corruption as Orban gave family members and political allies monopolistic control over the economy led the European Union to withhold economic support as Hungary’s economy stagnated.
Now, the incoming Magyar government is seeking closer ties with its European counterparts ahead of its official investiture on May 9th, introducing a plan to join the Eurozone by 2030 and working to meet NATO defense spending targets. At this critical time, Magyar is forced to focus on repairing EU ties as he rebuilds a broken democratic system and economy.
Poland, a country which until 2023 had an executive government hostile to Brussels, is a model for Hungary to seek closer ties to the EU and recover from democratic backsliding. A recent meeting between Magyar and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk signaled close cooperation between the two countries as Hungary seeks a healthier relationship with the European Union.
As Magyar continues working to rebuild Hungary’s reputation, the nation is pursuing goals set by the EU to repair the nation’s credibility to receive 10 billion euros in EU funds by October. One goal Magyar will need to fulfill is ending Hungary’s block on 90 billion euros in aid.
Looking ahead, Hungary will spend the next few years continuing to undo nearly two decades of Orban’s rule. For Russia, this will entail the loss of a potential ally within NATO and the EU. For Donald Trump, Marine le Pen, and other populist leaders capitalizing off growing instability in the international system, Magyar’s victory is a sign that the people of Europe respond to a threatening world order with unity, giving the EU a needed boost to both its credibility and–more importantly–its unity.
Image Courtesy of Getty Images.
