It is possible that the 16-year, illiberal rule of Hungary’s Viktor Orban, the EU’s longest serving prime minister, may be coming to an end. Magyar, a 43-year old lawyer and former diplomat, quit the ruling Fidesz party to join Tisza and unite the opposition. But despite the willingness of other parties to step aside to give Magyar’s Tisza party a clear run in the country’s complex and government-favouring voting system – which Orban adjusted to his own advantage – nothing is a given. Orban’s enfeebling of Hungarian democracy, control of state institutions and tight grip on the media could still tip the election the prime minister’s way. The EU has consistently criticised Orban’s failure to tackle high-level corruption which, along with poor state services, has led to the prime minister losing support.

Source: The Irish Times March 31, 2026 05:40 UTC