Magyar's victory: a new era for Hungary?
After his spectacular election victory, Péter Magyar has listed his priorities: he wants to focus on the fight against corruption and push through an eight-year limit on the prime minister's term of office. He also vowed that Hungary will be a constructive partner for the EU in future and cited conversion to the euro as a long-term goal. The European media assess the prospects of reform and draw conclusions from Viktor Orbán’s defeat.
Repairing a damaged state
Válasz Online notes that at least Hungary doesn't have to start from scratch:
“We are fortunate that the current attempt to bring about system change does not require changes as drastic as those seen in 1990. ... It does not involve putting a democracy in place of a communist dictatorship maintained by a foreign occupation, but rather repairing a damaged democracy that has been twisted in an illiberal direction. This will require both resolve and moderation. On Sunday evening, on the banks of the Danube, the future prime minister showed himself ready to exercise both these qualities. We have been given a fresh chance; in a sense, we have fought for it ourselves. And we can make the most of it as long everyone does their best to remain reasonable. Our country can become a better place.”
Democracy won't happen by itself
Magyar must now prove that he is serious about realigning his country with democratic Europe, Expresso stresses:
“We cannot just rest on our laurels after Magyar's victory, wipe the slate clean and release the frozen funds. The European Union must make it absolutely clear to Hungary's future prime minister that he must use the power entrusted to him to restore democracy in the country. Democracy is not a product of free elections alone; elections must be fair as well as free. Democracy can only exist with a free press and the separation of powers. Europe must not content itself with Fidesz's defeat.”
As tough a task as Tusk is tackling
Reforming the Orbán system won't be easy, writes political scientist Laurențiu Pleșca in the agora.md blog, pointing to Poland as an example:
“The constitutional instrument that Magyar is inheriting was created specifically to serve a single man. ... We cannot expect the Tisza Party to solve all the problems with the rule of law; it could be corrupted from within by the system built up by Orbán over 16 years. Central and Eastern Europe know this pattern all too well: in Poland, the PiS left behind a hijacked state from which the Tusk government has been painstakingly trying to extricate itself for two years, encountering resistance at every turn. Hungary will be no exception.”
Magyar is no Hungarian Tusk
The next Hungarian prime minister is not the man many in the EU hope he will be, wPolityce concludes:
“Donald Tusk's hope that Péter Magyar will be the Hungarian version of himself is incredibly naive. Magyar will not become anti-Russia and pro-Ukraine overnight, and he will also not abandon Orbán's position on illegal immigrants - in fact he could potentially take an even tougher stance on this issue. ... Péter Magyar will certainly make overtures towards the EU Commission in order to regain access to the frozen funds for Hungary, but he will not necessarily support the transformation of the EU into a superstate dominated by Germany.”
Populism losing popularity
Kronen Zeitung notes that the demagogues are losing momentum:
“Péter Magyar is certainly no left-winger, but nor is he an anti-European like Orbán. He may not even be truly anti-Orbán, but he is certainly an anti-populist. Orbán was the figurehead for populists across Europe. Now they have lost the elections. And things haven't been going too well lately for populists who've had to prove their ability to govern: Geert Wilders was dealt a blow by the Dutch and Giorgia Meloni failed with her pseudo-judicial reform. In a nutshell, as far as the shift to the right in European voting behaviour is concerned, one could say it's a case of: this far but no further!”
Focus on realpolitik instead of culture wars
Magyar has taught the world a valuable lesson in how to keep the authoritarian right in check, Der Spiegel writes:
“ He steered well clear of Orbán's favourite topic: the culture wars. The prime minister tried in vain to weaponise migration and gender issues against the conservative Péter Magyar, who had once been a member of Fidesz himself. But Magyar just focused on what really affects people's lives: economic stagnation, corruption, miserable health care. ... The authoritarian right cannot be beaten in the field of ideology, but only in realpolitik. Anyone who wants to stop them should refuse to get embroiled in the culture wars and simply approach voters with one question: Is this government actually improving things for you?”
A liberating coup for a despondent Europe
The leading figure of Europe's right-wing populists has lost, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung cheers, but so have their powerful Svengalis:
“Overcoming the paralysis of fear, breaking out of a false sense of safety to face the unknown, daring to embrace change over stagnation and decline – this is what shook up the Eastern Bloc forty years ago. Magyar's election victory is a liberating coup for a despondent Europe: it proves that victory is possible even against those who demonise the EU. With Orbán's defeat, the patron of Europe's right-wing nationalists has lost. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have been shown the limits of their influence in Europe.”
New hope for Europe
Dagens Nyheter is optimistic:
“The significance of Sunday's results for Europe cannot be overstated. Orbán's attack on the rule of law and democracy was also an attack on the very foundations of the EU. ... It takes time to restore the rule of law when it has been eroded and create a free media landscape. And there are certainly question marks surrounding Péter Magyar, whose roots are in the Fidesz party. He may not be Donald Tusk – who, since his election as Polish prime minister, has transformed the country from an ally of Budapest into a driving force behind EU cooperation. But what really matters is that he is not Viktor Orbán. Sunday's election result is hugely significant. The Hungarians have given Europe new hope.”
Moscow has failed in Budapest
Russia has lost its most loyal ally within the EU, notes Ukrainian MP Mykola Kniazhytskyi on Facebook:
“The Orbán government believed it could build a 'little Russia' inside Hungary with the help of Russian political strategists – but surprise, surprise, it has failed. Russia has lost its grip on Hungary: it will no longer be able to secure places for its oligarchs on sanctions exemption lists, buy off politicians with oil discounts, or obtain sensitive information from confidential sources.”
EU has no excuses anymore
La Stampa warns:
“The greatest risk for the EU now would be to believe that the danger has passed and the reactionary wave has subsided. ... Without Moscow's Trojan horse in Brussels it will no doubt be easier to adopt the twentieth package of sanctions against Russia and to release the 90-billion loan for Ukraine. Yet further steps towards securing the EU's strategic autonomy remain vital. After yesterday evening, European leaders can no longer hide behind the Hungarian veto to excuse their lack of action.”
Democracy alive and kicking
The Kurier underlines the importance of critical voices that refused to be silenced:
“In his 16 years in power Orbán was unable to completely smother the independent press and civil courage. This is what the election campaign shows. ... Hungary's critical media have proven their indomitability and their sense of responsibility under the most adverse conditions. ... Orbán was not able to silence the critical public sphere, quite the opposite in fact. It is so strong that even Magyar is reluctant to talk to the independent press. Hungary's democracy has seldom been more alive than it is today.”
The allure of power
The sweeping election victory also carries risks, hvg warns:
“Péter Magyar can now govern with the backing of a larger parliamentary group than Orbán had behind him. Secured by a two-thirds majority, his mandate allows for a change of system without restrictions. ... Will Péter Magyar be able to resist the allure of power? This is what he promised on Sunday evening, high on victory. But will he succeed in creating and upholding checks and balances that tie his hands when he runs into difficulties? The changing world order will present the next cabinet with unprecedented challenges, not to mention the plundered state coffers, the unsustainable benefit system for government lackeys and people's impossibly high expectations.”
Babiš and Fico feeling the pinch
The election outcome in Hungary will come as a blow to Orbán's comrades in neighbouring countries, Respekt notes:
“All those who oppose authoritarian tendencies in Western and Central Europe have fresh wind in their sails. Magyar is no saviour and his position will without doubt diverge from Western Europe's on many issues. But he has also achieved the seemingly impossible feat of toppling the authoritarian Viktor Orbán. This message is now being trumpeted across Europe and all those who are pushing to return to the past will not be able to ignore it. There's a lot of concerned frowning going on in the Czech government. And in neighbouring Slovakia full-blown panic will have broken out in government circles.”