The international audience observing the Hungarian election result is likely to settle on a view that feels familiar. That this election was about east v west or that it was a “youthquake”, a win secured by the unprecedented participation of young voters. These narratives have some truth to them, of course, but, especially for those interested in fighting back against regimes such as Viktor Orbán’s, it’s worth taking a closer look at this campaign. Understanding Péter Magyar’s success will require progressives to rethink their strategies in similar political scenarios.

Orbán’s defeat was against all odds. The Hungarian electoral system was designed by his government after 2010 with only one thing in mind: the interests of his party, Fidesz. His cronies control vast sections of Hungarian society and economy, including most offline media. Orbán had been effective in perpetuating the myth that he could not be removed from power democratically, which limited the political imagination of many Hungarians.

Even as opinion polls showed a strong Tisza lead in the final weeks of the campaign, many still found it hard to believe that a win could be achieved at the ballot box. Too much was tilted in Orbán’s favour, too many times over the previous 16 years had opposition voters had to deal with disappointment on election night.

But Péter Magyar and his Tisza party, together with the Hungarian people, who turned out in record numbers to vote, broke the spell of Orbán’s omnipotence. With a “supermajority” in parliament, Tisza is now in a strong position to deliver a complete overhaul of the Hungarian constitutional and political system, or, as they call it, regime change.

This is remarkable when you consider that Magyar deserted Fidesz just a little over two years ago. In February 2024, the governing party had been shaken to its core by a moral and........

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