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Good morning. The people of Hungary are waking up in an unfamiliar political landscape – one in which Viktor Orbán, who has served as prime minister since 2010, is stepping aside after defeat to Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party has won an election likely to reshape the country’s ties with the EU, the US and Russia.
Less than three hours after polls closed on Sunday, Orbán conceded defeat after what he described as a “painful but unambiguous” result. Magyar, who has pledged to repair Hungary’s strained relationship with the EU, crack down on corruption and channel funds towards long-neglected public services, said Tisza voters had rewritten Hungarian history and that “truth prevailed over lies”.
For today’s newsletter I’ve been in touch overnight with the Guardian’s European community affairs correspondent Ashifa Kassam and Europe live blogger Jakub Krupa, both of whom have been reporting from Hungary, to find out what it has been like on the ground after a dramatic result. First, the headlines.
Five big stories
Middle East | Donald Trump has said the US will begin blockading the strait of Hormuz in an attempt to take control of the strategic waterway from Iran in the aftermath of failed peace negotiations.
Carers | Thousands of unpaid carers will continue to be hit with hefty and potentially unfair benefit repayment demands, as a government initiative gets under way to fix welfare injustices that have drawn comparison to the Post Office scandal
UK news | The Home Office is to announce the closure of 11 asylum hotels this week as part of its pledge to close all such facilities by the end of this parliament.
Ireland | Police have cleared a blockade of central Dublin by farmers and hauliers who were protesting about fuel prices, signalling a possible end to six days of protests that have rocked Ireland.
UK politics | Ministers are planning to reshape Britain’s relationship with the European Union, with new legislation that could result in the UK signing up to EU single market rules without a normal parliamentary vote.
In depth: ‘People do not normally dance in the streets over politics’
Jakub tells me that it has been an extraordinary night in Budapest – one which “resembled more a World Cup triumph than an election night”. He points out that people do not normally dance in the streets over politics.
There were signs, he adds, that a Magyar victory might be on the cards.
“There is something really special about elections, which is perhaps why I am so drawn to covering them,” he says. “As a reporter, you come from the outside, and yet immediately get entrusted with access to what is a very personal, vulnerable moment as the energy of a place or a nation changes.”
That feeling, he says, was captured when he spoke to a man at a polling station in Budapest on Sunday. Asked why he was so confident about an opposition win, he half-jokingly replied: “vibes”.
“Just that, ‘vibes’. And yet, we both knew exactly what he meant – and he was right.”
***
Who is Péter Magyar, Hungary’s next prime minister?
Magyar is a 45-year-old Hungarian lawyer and former government insider who rapidly emerged as a serious challenger to Orbán’s long rule. Once a member of Orbán’s Fidesz party – with close ties to senior figures and a former marriage to ex-justice minister Judit Varga – he has recast himself as an anti-establishment figure, channelling public anger over corruption, the cost of living and declining public services.
He burst into prominence in 2024 after a scandal involving a government pardon in a child abuse case, in which he publicly accused Fidesz of protecting itself. Positioning himself as a whistleblower from within, he tapped into widespread disillusionment, drawing large crowds and quickly building the Tisza movement into a formidable political force.
Magyar’s appeal lies in both his outsider message and insider knowledge, but he remains something of an unknown quantity. He has promised to restore democratic checks and relations with the EU while cracking down on corruption, yet has kept many policies deliberately vague and avoided culture-war issues.
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Things can only get better?
As well as Jakub, I also exchanged messages with Ashifa overnight. She tells me it has been “incredibly fascinating” to be on the ground for this election and witness this moment in Hungary.
“Last year I spent time in Budapest speaking to rights campaigners who described what it was like to go up against the regime – defending migrants, the rule of law, LGBTQ+ rights and academic freedom,” she says. “In hushed tones, many of them told me there was a possibility for change, citing polls that suggested Magyar could win.”
But for many, she adds, it felt like a distant prospect – “particularly as the machine that Fidesz had built, now backed by the White House, felt unbeatable.”
In the end, it appears it was not. With 98.74% of the vote counted, Magyar’s Tisza party was projected to win 138 of the 199 seats in parliament – a supermajority capable of amending the constitution and key laws.
“There’s an overwhelming sense that things will now get better here,” Ashifa says.
***
What has been the international reaction?
Magyar said he had received calls on Sunday night from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, Nato’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen.
“Today Europe wins and European values win,” said Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, on social media. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, wrote on social media: “Hungary, Poland, Europe, back together! Glorious victory, dear friends! Ruszkik haza!”. That last phrase translates into English as “Russians, go home”.
British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said “This is an historic moment, not only for Hungary, but for European democracy.”
There was no reaction from the White House so far overnight, and in particular no comment from the US vice-president, JD Vance, who had campaigned for Orbán in Budapest earlier in the week, openly admitting he was in Hungary on an “unprecedented” trip to help him win the election and accusing the EU of interfering in Hungary’s democracy.
***
What next for Hungary?
“Once the hangover of tonight’s celebrations fades,” Jakub says, “attention will turn to the mundane again. Can Péter Magyar actually deliver? We honestly can’t tell at this stage.”
“You cannot reverse sixteen years of state capture and institutional vandalism with the snap of a finger,” he says. “The task of reconstructing a democratic state, reviving an ailing economy, and mending broken alliances will be daunting.”
But after more than a decade of what Jakub described as Orbán’s “never apologise, always double down” politics, he suggests voters may be willing to forgive some early missteps – provided there is honesty and accountability.
Is it the end for Orbán? Time will tell. “We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well,” he told supporters.
And for the victor? Magyar told the nation: “Today, we won because Hungarians didn’t ask what their homeland could do for them – they asked what they could do for their homeland. You found the answer.”
What else we’ve been reading
A fascinating insight into the geniuses behind the scenes who create magnificent stage sets for London’s theatre shows, from a giant “death star” chandelier to a roaming double bed. Katy Vans, newsletters team
Samira Shackle talks to Tareena Shakil, who is trying to rebuild her life in the UK as an influencer, having fled to live inside the Islamic State as a teenager. Martin
I admit to being a longtime convert to barefoot hiking boots, so it was with interest that I read the Filter’s rundown of the best barefoot shoes. Katy
The scimitar-horned oryx is thought to be the origin of the myth of the unicorn. Annaliese Smith tells the incredible story of their reintroduction to the wild in Chad. Martin
Artist Molly Crabapple writes passionately about the ongoing threat posed to the creative industries by AI, “We are replaced by digital homunculi, trained on our stolen creations”. Katy
Sport
Golf | Defending champion Rory McIlroy won the Masters by one shot over Scottie Scheffler to collect his sixth major and become the fourth repeat winner at Augusta National and first since Tiger Woods in 2002.
Football | Manchester City have closed the gap on Arsenal with an expert destruction of Chelsea at a flat Stamford Bridge, beating them 3-0. A 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa helped Nottingham Forest cling on to hopes of avoiding the Premier League drop zone. No such luck for Spurs who lost 1-0 away to Sunderland, leaving them sat in the relegation spot with only six games left to go.
Football | Wrexham missed the chance to move within a point of the Sky Bet Championship playoff places after they suffered a 2-0 defeat by Birmingham at St Andrews.
The front pages
The Guardian leads with “Hungary enters new era as election ends Orban’s 16-year grip on power”. The Financial Times has “Trump declares blockade of Hormuz after Iran talks fail to yield peace deal”, while the Times goes with “Trump: US blockade to end Strait ‘extortion’”. The i reports “Inflation warning for Britain as Trump threatens shipping blockade in revenge for failed peace talks”. The Telegraph says “PM refuses to join blockade of Hormuz”.
The Mail reports “Labour plots to deny MPs vote on new EU sell-out”. Finally the Sun leads with a new purchase from former England captain John Terry with “JT buys United! (er Colchester that is)”.
Today in Focus
Meta’s AI glasses and the dawn of wearable tech
Elle Hunt on her month wearing Meta’s smart glasses and the privacy concerns around the technology.
Cartoon of the day | Tom Gauld
The Upside
A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad
TikTok has shown itself to be more than just a social media app for many users who are discovering serious health issues through its algorithm and comment sections. Malina Lee learned she had thyroid cancer after a commentator – known online as “PickleFart” – noticed asymmetry in her neck.
Women are particularly prone to medical gaslighting and they say TikTok helps them identify conditions after being dismissed in official medical settings. Dallas film-maker Tori Mosser was brushed off by doctors until a commenter suggested chronic appendicitis, which was later confirmed through surgery. While clinicians warn that social media can spread misinformation, users like Lee and Mosser say TikTok has provided community, validation and early clues that have led to life‑saving care.
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Bored at work?
And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
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