Katya Adler: Jubilation in Budapest will be felt in Europe but leaves Moscow cold

Katya Adler: Budapest’s Joy Echoes Across Europe, Yet Moscow Remains Unmoved

Budapest’s Chain Bridge, a symbol of the city’s historic divide between Buda and Pest, has long been a backdrop for tourist snapshots. But this Sunday, its lights pulsed with a different hue—green, white, and red—the colors of Hungary’s flag. The bridge, usually aglow with neon reflections in the Danube, now shimmered as a testament to a seismic political shift. After 16 years of leadership by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Fidesz party faced an unexpected defeat in the country’s pivotal elections.

Péter Magyar, the leader of the Tisza party, emerged as the new face of Hungarian politics. His supporters, energized by the collapse of Orbán’s dominance, described the moment as a reclaiming of national identity. In his victory speech, Magyar proclaimed,

“We did it. We brought down the Orbán regime—gether we liberated Hungary. We took back our homeland! Thank you! Thank you all!”

The sense of history being rewritten was palpable, with record voter turnout marking a turning point in the nation’s democratic trajectory.

A Slogan Revisited

Orbán’s downfall carried a bitter irony. Decades ago, he championed the rallying cry “Russians Go Home!” during Hungary’s post-Soviet era, a phrase that once fueled anti-communist fervor. It resurfaced in the streets this week as crowds chanted the same slogan, now directed at Moscow. The phrase, which first echoed through Budapest during the 1956 uprising, had been reimagined by Orbán’s critics as a rebuke of his alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Orbán’s political evolution from a reformist leader to an authoritarian figure has left many questioning his role in Hungary’s future. Despite his control over state media and electoral reforms that favored his party, the Fidesz leader was outmaneuvered at the polls. His efforts to shield Hungary from European sanctions and block a €90bn loan to Ukraine had backfired, according to analysts.

Europe’s New Dawn

Magyar’s ascent signals a shift in Hungary’s alignment with the West. European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, hailed the outcome as a victory for democratic values. Starmer called it a “historic moment for European democracy,” while von der Leyen stated Hungary had “chosen Europe.”

Yet the implications extend beyond Budapest. Putin, who relied on Orbán as a key ally in the EU, now faces a setback. Orbán’s resistance to sanctions and his close ties to Moscow had once fortified the Russian leader’s influence. With Hungary’s new government, that leverage may diminish, offering Ukraine a renewed chance in its conflict with Russia.

Trump’s Loss, Bannon’s Praise

Across the Atlantic, the result was less celebrated. President Donald Trump, who frequently endorsed Orbán, saw his closest European ally ousted. Orbán had drawn Trump’s support even during the Iran war, with the U.S. vice-president attending a pro-Orbán rally in Budapest. However, Magyar’s victory could weaken the alliance between the two leaders.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s former strategist and advocate for populist movements, still views Orbán as a “hero.” But some experts argue that Orbán’s defeat reflects a plateau for the Christian nationalist, anti-globalist right across Europe. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party, for instance, underperformed in French local elections, suggesting a broader trend of waning support for such ideologies.