EU applauds Hungary’s election result

After Hungary’s opposition ousted Viktor Orban after 16 years in power, hopes rise in Brussels that Budapest may abandon its obstructionist course.

What is the EU expecting from Peter Magyar?

"Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight," said Ursula von der Leyen on election night.

The country was reclaiming its European path, she wrote on X, adding that the European Union would become stronger as a result.

European Council President Antonio Costa praised the record turnout as a sign of Hungarians’ "democratic spirit" and said he looked forward to "close" cooperation with Peter Magyar to make Europe "stronger and more prosperous."
Congratulations also came in from European leaders who will work closely with Magyar in the European Council.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the result revealed the Hungarian people’s attachment to "the values of the European Union." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke of a gain for Europe and said he looked forward to working together.

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said voters had shown the world that there is "no irreversible trend toward authoritarianism."
For his part, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a video on X appearing to show him on the phone with Magyar.

"I am so happy," he said, adding he might be even happier than Magyar himself.

While many heads of state and government welcomed Peter Magyar as a pro-European force within their ranks, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also offered words of congratulations to the defeated leader Viktor Orban , who she called her "friend" .

She thanked him for the "intensive cooperation" of recent years.

The Czech and Slovak prime ministers, both considered allies of Orban, also congratulated Magyar on his election victory.

End of an era of tense relations
The historic election in Hungary marks a turning point in the strained relationship between the European Union and its longest-serving leader, Viktor Orban.

Already in 2015, then European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker famously greeted Orban with the joke "hello dictator" during an EU event.

Since then, relations have deteriorated steadily, shaped by disputes over the rule of law in Hungary, tactical vetoes of unanimous EU decisions, and most recently the country's move to block a 90 billion euro Ukraine loan package .

On Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said conclusions should be drawn from recent experience, highlighting the possibility of moving away from unanimity in EU foreign policy.

The Commission, she added, would begin working with the new Hungarian government as quickly as possible.

Change of guard in Hungary as Magyar ousts Orban
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Ukraine loan as first test of new era
Peter Magyar had already announced during the election campaign that he wanted Hungary to be a reliable partner in NATO and the EU.

The first test is likely to be the approval of the 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine.

The EU approved this loan last December for the years 2026 and 2027.

Hungary, along with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, is exempt from liability.

Officials in Brussels expect Magyar to allow the payments to go through and to abandon any further attempts to block support for Ukraine.

According to Julia Pocze, an expert on the rule of law at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), there is no indication that Magyar intends to continue obstructing the loan.

She expects it to be approved by the end of May, subject to a transition period.

What stance will Magyar take on Ukraine?

Observers in Brussels will be watching closely to see what position Peter Magyar takes toward Ukraine, particularly regarding its potential future EU membership.

Magyar, himself a member of the European Parliament, is not necessarily viewed as pro-Ukrainian, according to observers.

According to the AFP news agency, the conservative politician opposes arms deliveries to Ukraine.

An EU diplomat told DW that he does not expect the new Hungarian government to make a 180-degree turn on Ukraine, but rather that the country will continue to act cautiously with regard to its neighbor.

Pocze, a constitutional law expert, expects it to adopt a "neutral stance."  This would mean that Hungary would likely not participate in arms deliveries in the future, but would simultaneously not oppose EU and NATO support for Ukraine.

This is because Magyar is not particularly pro-Russian, according to the legal expert.

Accusations that the Orban government had informed the Russian government about internal EU proceedings had caused outrage in Brussels and other EU member states.

According to the EU diplomat, there is a clear assumption that such calls will cease in the future.

Peter Magyar had already announced in advance that he would implement the reforms demanded by Brussels in order to secure funds that have been withheld amid concerns about the rule of law.

The total amount involved is around 17 billion euros (as of January 2026).

The reforms cover areas such as allocating public contracts, the fight against corruption and law enforcement.

For her part, Pocze expects these funds to be released relatively quickly.

She compares the situation to that in Poland following Donald Tusk’s re-election.

At that time, the European Commission released the funds within just a few months of reform plans being announced.

Thanks to the two-thirds majority he has secured, Magyar will be able to amend the constitution and implement his program, which is focused, in particular, on fighting corruption, Pocze told DW.

Potential for conflict and new alliances?

Like his predecessor, Magyar advocates a hardline anti-immigration policy.

This is an issue that has been a source of conflict between the EU and Hungary for years.

As a result, the country is still required to pay a daily fine of one million euros for failing to comply with a European Court of Justice ruling on asylum policy.

Magyar has already emphasized several times that he does not intend to implement the new migration pact, Pocze told DW.

This is an area where conflict between the EU and Hungary is likely to continue.

Member states are required to implement the new migration regulations by June 2026.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also spoke out against implementing the pact last year.

Perhaps this will be among the topics Donald Tusk and Peter Magyar discuss when the future Hungarian prime minister, as announced, arrives in Warsaw on his first official visit.

Both men’s parties are members of the conservative European People's Party.

Piotr Buras, head of the Warsaw office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, expects that Magyar’s election victory will further strengthen conservative and "Eurorealist" positions, for example in environmental and industrial policy, a result that will likely irk many.

This article originally appeared in German.