A historic political shift has taken place in Hungary, where Péter Magyar has defeated long-serving prime minister Viktor Orbán after sixteen years in power. Magyar’s Tisza party has secured a decisive parliamentary majority, ending a period often criticised for centralised control and alleged corruption. Campaigning on promises of reform, he pledged to strengthen judicial independence, address governance concerns, and rebuild relations with the EU while distancing the country from close ties with Vladimir Putin. The election saw record voter turnout (almost 80%), reflecting strong public engagement in the country’s future direction. The result signals potential changes in both domestic policy and international alignment. Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen has quickly used the election result to call for a change in EU policy-making: see