A crushing defeat for authoritarian populism
Parliamentary elections were held in Hungary last Sunday. The results left no room for doubt: a massive rejection at the polls brought an end to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s sixteen-year rule. Moreover, Orbán’s defeat deals a serious blow to both Putin and Trump at the same time. As the results came in, a sea of people flooded the streets of Budapest and other cities. The Hungarian masses categorically refuse to continue down Orbán’s path. It remains to be seen—beyond his campaign promises—what course his successor, Péter Magyar, will take.
During his tenure, Orban transformed Hungary’s political system. Although he formally maintained its parliamentary structure, he imbued it with an increasingly authoritarian character. With particular vehemence, he stoked chauvinism and xenophobia against immigrants, defended a “Christian Europe,” censored the independent press, and banned what he called “LGBT propaganda.”
Of course, his allies who are now reeling are the same ultra-reactionary figures: Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Benjamin Netanyahu. Orbán was Putin’s main lever of influence in Europe. Under his rule, Hungary blocked aid to Ukraine, slowed down sanctions against Russia, and maintained close economic ties with Russia itself. Now Putin has lost his “asset” as a foothold. But Russian gas and oil remain an economic tool of influence.
Trump supported Orban’s campaign with all his might. Lately, Orban has regularly participated in numerous conferences of the conservative right in the United States, and even helped organize them in Budapest. Seeing the unfavorable polls, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived on the eve of the elections to provide an “emergency endorsement.” But, apparently, it was a complete fiasco, as Washington’s support did not save Orban.
Last year, Orban welcomed Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest, who continues to commit a terrible genocide against the Palestinian people. The International Criminal Court then issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for his war crimes in Gaza. Hungary should have arrested him the moment he stepped off the plane. But, as expected, Orban ignored it.
Hungarians, Ukrainians, and many other peoples are celebrating Viktor Orban’s defeat. And this joy is fully justified. What else can one feel when an agent of the imperialists is ousted from government? However, we must not delude ourselves into thinking that the opposition figure who replaced Orban, Peter Magyar, is the antithesis of his predecessor. Some who have only heard superficially about the Hungarian elections have the impression that Peter Magyar, of the Tisza party, is a “progressive figure.”
In fact, Magyar is a militant conservative who, two years ago, belonged to Orban’s Fidesz party. Magyar’s wife until 2023 was Judith Varga, Minister of Justice in Orban’s government. She resigned amid a scandal after pardoning Endre Konya, the deputy director of an orphanage who had covered up sexual violence against minors. Like Orban, Magyar is extremely hostile toward immigrants, and although he recognizes Putin as an aggressor, he is in no hurry to reject Russian oil, much less to sever ties with the Russian regime. Magyar emphasizes the “relationships of mutual respect between Russia and Hungary,” a stance typical of the hypocrisy of European Union imperialism.
Magyar also refused to supply weapons to Ukraine to defend itself against the aggressor.
In short, as has been said, today we have every right to take comfort in the defeat of the scoundrel Orban, an authoritarian agent of imperialism. However, we must remember that he was replaced by another agent, albeit one with a more “polished” appearance. The people will not be able to rid themselves of the servants of imperialism, following the example of Magyar and Orban, through elections. Only the organization and general mobilization of the oppressed and exploited masses in their struggle for the power of the working people will consign these nefarious characters to the dustbin of history!
First published here in Spanish
