ruth901
Will he be replaced as head of government after 16 years?Orban admits “painful” defeat in parliamentary elections
Viktor Orban.
AP
He is combative.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has admitted the defeat of his right-wing nationalist Fidesz party in the parliamentary elections. The defeat was “painful,” said Orban on Sunday evening. His challenger Peter Magyar had previously stated that Orban had called him and congratulated him on his election victory.
Orban: “We will also serve our homeland in the opposition”
“Whatever happens, we will serve our homeland even in the opposition,” he told supporters in Budapest. The burden of government work is no longer on his shoulders, he added.
The change of power in Budapest has consequences for all of Europe
With more than 53 percent of votes counted, Magyar's conservative Tisza party received 52.49 percent of the vote, while Orban's right-wing nationalist Fidesz had 38.83 percent. The internationally acclaimed election in Hungary recorded a record turnout of 77.8 percent.
The change of power in Budapest is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the foreign policy of the Central European country and EU member: While Orban has been on a collision course with Brussels for years and maintains good contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite the Ukraine war, Magyar has announced that he will pursue a pro-Western course and make Hungary a reliable NATO and EU partner.
Sources used: dpa, afp
