Hungarian voters on Sunday ousted long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power, rejecting the authoritarian policies and global far-right movement that he embodied in favour of a pro-European challenger in a bombshell election result with global repercussions.
It was a stunning blow for Orbán – a close ally of both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin – who quickly conceded defeat after what he called a “painful” election result. US Vice President JD Vance had made a visit to Hungary just days earlier, meant to help push Orbán over the finish line.