On April 12, parliamentary elections were held in Hungary, which were observed throughout Europe. In these elections, right-wing populist Viktor Orbán, who had held power for twenty years, lost to the younger and more energetic Peter Magyar. The Hungarian TISA party obtains a constitutional majority in Parliament – 141 out of 199 places This gives it a broad mandate for reform. The Hungarian, who won under the slogans of a return to democracy and friendship with the European Union, has not yet assumed the post of Prime Minister (this He should It will happen on May 9), but he has already managed to make promises or simply speak out on a variety of domestic and foreign policy issues. This is what he did in the first ten days after winning the elections.
He promised to stop Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court
Viktor Orbán’s government launched Hungary’s withdrawal process from the ICC in April 2025. It began against the backdrop of a visit to Budapest by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was indicted by the ICC for war crimes in the Gaza Strip six months earlier. Orban, who described the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Netanyahu as “arrogant, cynical and unacceptable,” did not implement it. Peter Magyar said that after his election victory, Hungary will not only remain in the ICC, but will also arrest Netanyahu if he comes to the country again.
He promised not to block the European Union’s $90 billion loan to Ukraine
EU leaders approved the loan in December 2025, but Orban withdrew his approval before a formal vote in February 2026. He pointed to the fact that Ukraine closed the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, through which Hungary and Slovakia receive Russian oil. Orban’s veto slowed down the process of allocating a loan to Ukraine. Magyar said he would not block the loan, but that Hungarian money would not be used for it.
He was summoned Ukraine opens “friendship” (and it has opened)
“If the pipeline is ready to pump oil on the Ukrainian side, it should be opened as promised,” Magyar said on April 20. On April 21, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced that Druzhba had been repaired, and on April 22, oil pumping through the pipeline resumed. “Friendship” has not worked since the end of January. Ukraine interpreted this as a Russian drone strike, but for a reason I was not allowed to enter To the European inspectors’ website. Hungary and Slovakia suspect Kiev of blocking the oil pipeline for political reasons.
He stressed readiness for “practical cooperation” with Russia
Orban was known as Vladimir Putin’s main friend in Europe. Even before the elections, Magyar said that Hungary must choose the West (i.e. the European Union), between East and West, but the approach in dealing with Russia must be “practical.” Magyar repeated this description after the elections, speaking about future contacts with Russia. The Kremlin has also used it when commenting on relations with Hungary. Meanwhile, Magyar’s victory (which Moscow has refused to congratulate) is still seen as a loss for the Kremlin.
a promise Imposing a maximum of two terms for the Prime Minister
According to Magyar, his government will introduce an amendment to the Hungarian constitution that will allow one person to serve as prime minister for no more than two terms. This limit, as Hungary promised, will also apply to Orban. Therefore, he will not be able to become Prime Minister of Hungary again, because he has already been elected to this position five times. However, Orban remains the leader of the second most popular party, Fidesz, so he does not have to sit in the prime minister’s chair to influence the government.
student Departure of Orban’s followers, including the president
One of Orbán’s levers of influence over politics are the people Fidesz has appointed to key positions in the country’s judicial and oversight bodies over the years of his rule. Among them are the Prosecutor General, the Presidents of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts, the President of the Audit Bureau, and even the President. Hungarian Suggested Orbán’s “puppets” must leave office by May 31, and threaten to sack them if they do not do so using their constitutional majority in parliament. Separately, President Tamas Sojok addressed, maleHe “does not deserve to represent the unity of the Hungarian nation” and must resign immediately after a new government is formed.
a promise Reform the media that Orbán has subjugated
Another instrument of influence that Orbán has created for himself is the public media, which under his leadership have become the de facto mouthpiece of the government. After winning the Hungarian elections give interview Public radio Kossuth and TV channel M1. During the conversation, he came into conflict with the broadcasters, saying that they were serving Orbán’s interests, and he himself had not been invited on air even once in the past year and a half. Hungarian malewhich will suspend the broadcast of news in public media and introduce a new media law. This, by the way, is one of the reforms he has committed to implementing in order to unfreeze EU funds allocated to Hungary.
I started Negotiations on freezing European funding
Even before assuming the position of Prime Minister, the Hungarian had already done so to speak With European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Due to Orban’s disagreements with Brussels, Hungary has lost about 17 billion euros in support from the European Union in recent years, including about 10 billion to recover from the Covid pandemic. The payment of these ten billion is linked to the reforms, the deadline for which expires at the end of August. Unfreezing EU funds was one of the Hungarian’s main election promises, so he plans to implement it quickly.
Phone call With Robert Fico, leader of Slovakia and Orbán’s ally
In 2025, the Slovak Parliament criminalized the challenge. Orbán, who did not want to spoil relations with Fico, reacted rather moderately. Magyar took this opportunity to criticize Orbán for failing to protect the rights of Hungarians abroad. Having telephoned Fico after his election victory, Magyar demanded that Slovakia abolish punishment for those who did not agree with Beneš’s decrees. But Fico has so far shown no willingness to meet him halfway.
a promise Return of the Ministry of Health
Hungarian indeed His name Some of the ministers of his next government and Announce The number of ministries will be increased from 12 to 16. In particular, separate ministries for education and health will be created, which the Hungarian government, at least, does not have. Since 2010. In the Orban government that is still in place there Ministers of State for Education and Health, but they work within the Ministry of the Interior.